Posted by Eric Berne once said, “the moment a little boy is concerned with which is a jay and which is the sparrow, he can no longer see the birds or hear them sing.“
Discrimination, of any sort disturbs the entire balance of the universe. It is to be shunt away, fought with and killed then and there. It is toxic and contagious by nature!
You do not have to be of a specific gender to be a victim of gender discrimination. At work, if you feel that you are being differently treated in any way just because of your gender, then you are most definitely a victim of gender discrimination. However, you do not have to be a victim alone to be able to fight gender discrimination. If you know of someone or if you are the witness to any incident of such discrimination, it is your moral responsibility to try and amend the situation.
This is why we bring to you the top 7 ways to fight gender discrimination at your workplace.
1. Create awareness
The primary step in fighting gender discrimination at work place is by creating awareness about the fact that there is such a thing as discrimination in the corporate world. You can create awareness by simple mouth canvassing or in various other ways you may find suitable. When people have knowledge about the probability of gender discrimination, then the process of fighting this problem becomes more effective because more people might join in on the cause. So, by all means, create awareness among your colleagues and employees.
2. Look for any biased patterns
Many organisations that discriminate on the basis of gender have predetermined patterns of assessment, hiring, promoting or in general managing. For example, if two employees (a male and a female) with similar career graphs are in competition for heading a particular project and the male is preferred to the female with an explanation that the client would be more attentive towards the male point of view then it is very evident that the selection is made on the basis of their gender and this is unfair! You will have to trace these patterns and bring it to the notice of higher officials.
3. Legal Action
Yes, discrimination on the basis of gender is illegal and if proven so, will lead to fine and even imprisonment of any officer in default of such action. So, if you have observed gender bias at your workplace, one very effective method to fight it is by filing a complaint and taking legal action.
4. Look for gender pay gaps
Have you also observed that two people with similar job profile and responsibilities are being paid differently because one is a man and the other a woman? If so, then you are the witness to a most common problem of the corporate world– gender discrimination. It makes no sense that the same work is getting done at different pay scales just because of gender. In a progressive world like ours, this shouldn’t be such a big concern, but unfortunately, is! It is a deep-rooted social issue that is now being brought into the light. So, even at your workplace, look for any such gender pay gaps and make sure you bring it to others’ notice as well!
5. Take a stand
Why not?! There is nothing wrong in standing up for what you believe in! No one should and can stop you! Take a stand, point fingers at people who are being biased and make sure your voice is heard! You are the one who can bring the change you want to see in this system. Stand up for what you believe in and do not back down. No matter what!
6. Promote diversity and equality
Another way of Fighting gender discrimination is by promoting the benefits of diversity and equality. It is possible that many people who come from conventional odds of additional background do not understand the importance of equality. Promoting equality at the workplace may help you fight gender discrimination.
7. Keep a constant check on evaluations
Another way to fight gender discrimination at the workplace is by checking if all the evaluations being carried out are fair and unbiased. The personal opinion may differ from one individual to the other, however, a common ground of evaluation must be ensured to carry out evaluations of any sort! Keeping a constant check may help you highlight any break in the flow or any discriminatory action!
Remember, if you alone can help to fight this deep-rooted social evil of gender discrimination and bringing about a change then what can a group of aware and learned individuals do!
Always look at the bigger picture, do not be let down by failures and keep going till you ensure a bias-free workplace!
Interested to receive job updates? Explore-jobsmama
All the best!