3 Struggles That Women Still Face in the Workplace (And How to Deal with Them)

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While certain developments have led us to believe that gender is no longer an issue in the workplace, events such as the #MeToo movement prove otherwise. 

In reality, women are still routinely disadvantaged regarding employment in a number of ways. 

Let's explore some of the most common and frustrating workplace situations, and how to constructively handle them to receive fair treatment. 

Unequal pay

There are laws in place to prevent an individual from getting paid less based on their gender, in comparison to a person of the opposite sex performing a comparable role. 

Unfortunately, even with these in place, many women are paid significantly less than their male counterparts.

This is a glaring example of gender discrimination, and something that can be fought in court if deemed necessary. This can ensure that women are treated fairly, and receive a decent wage.

To be successful, you will need a specialist discrimination lawyer to help you construct and fight your case. 

However, by moving forward with legal action, you will achieve justice for yourself and reduce the possibility of this discrimination affecting someone else in the future. 

Sexual harassment

While sexual harassment isn't specific to women, we've traditionally experienced more of it. 

It's become a hot issue at the moment, with everyone gaining more awareness of what is and isn't acceptable behavior in the workplace.

However, this doesn't mean that sexual harassment has been entirely eliminated. It's still very possible to experience situations that make you feel uncomfortable at work.

Just remember that you don't have to put up with it, and it doesn't have to be part of your daily work experience. 

You can speak to a manager about the issue, or even point out to the person in question that their behaviors aren't appropriate. 

If this fails to resolve the issue, you might need to take your complaint further. You can get more advice in this post here.

Taking time off work to raise a family

Lastly, let's talk about how many women's careers have come to a grinding halt because they have made the choice to raise their children full time.

This doesn't mean that everyone needs to be a SAHM (stay-at-home mom,) or that SAHMs are better than working moms. 

However, it's important to remember that these women aren't a second choice option when it comes to being hired. 

Unfortunately, this isn't always the case. If you find yourself in this situation, there are some strategies you can use to boost a stalled career.

This includes taking refresher courses, using your network to find a suitable position, and even retraining. 

However, in a perfect world, it wouldn't be up to women to make themselves more accountable to employers. 

Instead, employees should focus on women's overall experience and value - not their status as a "mom returning to the workforce."