In today’s world, there is an emphasis on increasing inclusivity in the workplace. This new direction has allowed for significant progress to be made however, women continue to fall behind men. Alas, the gap between men and women in leadership positions persists. According to data reports by Catalyst, women account for about half of the U.S. Labor Force. Yet, only 27 women (5.4%) currently hold CEO positions in the S&P 500 companies of our nation. As women begin to advance into leadership positions, their most common challenges include work-life balance, lack of confidence, gender biases, and limited funding.
So, how can women tackle these challenges and strive to overcome them?
Challenge #1: Work-Life Balance
Finding a balance between maternal duties and one’s career can be a challenge, but it is not impossible. This is often used against women as a justification as to why they are unfit for leadership roles since they will be absent for checkups and maternity leave. The majority of working moms experience guilt for not opting to leave their careers behind. Kathleen McGinn, a Harvard professor, led research that analyzed the correlation between maternal employment and children's development in 100,000 international families. It did not negatively affect the children, both children of the working and non-working moms reported overall life satisfaction in McGinn’s study. If you are that guilt-ridden mom, release that guilt and get ready to work towards that leadership position.
Finding a balance between maternal duties and one’s career can be a challenge, but it is not impossible. This is often used against women as a justification as to why they are unfit for leadership roles since they will be absent for checkups and maternity leave. The majority of working moms experience guilt for not opting to leave their careers behind. Kathleen McGinn, a Harvard professor, led research that analyzed the correlation between maternal employment and children's development in 100,000 international families. It did not negatively affect the children, both children of the working and non-working moms reported overall life satisfaction in McGinn’s study. If you are that guilt-ridden mom, release that guilt and get ready to work towards that leadership position.
Challenge #2: Lacking Self Confidence
When it comes to building self-confidence, women need to understand that they are entirely capable and can succeed in male-dominated areas. Men can easily pinpoint weaknesses therefore, practice to speak up and being assertive is critical. Remind yourself that doing so creates new opportunities and will showcase your abilities. A survey regarding gender leadership styles compiled by PEW Research, revealed that 22% of the public thinks women have a superior approach while 15% said men and the other 62% claimed both were equal. This reinforces the importance of building your self-confidence because according to most data others already believe in you, so you should too!
Challenge #3: Gender biases
Women often experience discrimination in the workplace by the gender pay gap, harassment, assumed incompetence, appearances, etc. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, there were over 25,000 claims of sex-based discrimination in 2017 and over $135 million in payouts. Regular pay audits, prioritizing gender equality, and implementing anti-discrimination policies are necessary to overcome this challenge. As women who face such bias, we must unite and continue to push for more women in leadership roles. Keep speaking up and making sure they hear you.
Women often experience discrimination in the workplace by the gender pay gap, harassment, assumed incompetence, appearances, etc. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, there were over 25,000 claims of sex-based discrimination in 2017 and over $135 million in payouts. Regular pay audits, prioritizing gender equality, and implementing anti-discrimination policies are necessary to overcome this challenge. As women who face such bias, we must unite and continue to push for more women in leadership roles. Keep speaking up and making sure they hear you.
Challenge #4: Lack of Funding
Investors are often less likely to invest in a women-run startup. Lack of funding makes it even more challenging for women to raise capital and prosper. A data survey by 99designs revealed, that “men are almost twice as likely as women to raise at least $100k in funding: 28% of men raised $100k or more to start their own business, compared to 15% of women.” To help navigate this challenge and secure venture capital women need to build a strong network group. Crowdfunding or finding female investors are both great options in overcoming this issue. Do not be afraid to start at zero.
Tackling such challenges will only serve to empower you and teach you to be a leader. Continue to seek ways to overcome these challenges that hinder women from attaining leadership positions. Nevertheless, success is a challenging journey but do not let that deter you. You are a million-dollar woman.
Source:
Catalyst, Women CEOs of the S&P 500
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, “Sex-Based Charges (Charges Filed with EEOC) FY 1997 - FY 2018.” www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/statistics/enforcement/sex.cfm.
Kathleen McGinn, “Learning from Mum: Cross-National Evidence Linking Maternal Employment &Adult Children’s Outcomes https://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/DQzHJAJMUYWQevh577wr/full
PEW STUDY RESEARCH, “Women and Leadership 2018”
Hi Abigail,
ReplyDeleteI completely relate to Challenge #1. My mom was working for a law firm for about 15 years. She used to take off of work every day to pick me up from school. She got a pay raise one day and decided to ask her boss why can't she become a manager? I'm being short when I say this, he said that he could make her a manager because she misses too many hours a day. She ended up quitting a year later. I think corporate CEO's let men take top management positions due to this particular reason. For some companies, leaving work early or when your child is sick, is a liability. I think women who have young children or at more risk of not advancing in their careers. Maybe I'm bias but that's how I see it.
Hi Amber,
ReplyDeleteI agree, women with young children are definitely at more risk of not advancing in their careers. The gap between men and women in leadership deliberately shows that men are often prioritized for leadership roles because of the work-life balance challenge faced by women. Kudos to your mom for quitting and speaking up for why she was seen as unfit for a leadership position. Thanks for sharing, motherhood penalties in the corporate world needs to change. Overall, challenge #1 helps remind working moms that working while also caring for a child is not detrimental to their child!
very nice. i agree with challenge #1 & #3. excellent work!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the feedback! Glad you're enjoying the blog.
DeleteThank you
DeleteVery interesting article! Being a woman in today’s society, I can definitely relate to some of the challenges you’ve mentioned. Particularly challenge #2 and #3! I feel, we often hear about gender inequality when it comes to financial status within the workforce and that is one of the many reasons why women have confidence problems as well. If their own job doesn’t believe in them or their ability to make things work, of course men will be recieving all the praise as they usually do. It’s very unfair. And on top of everything, women also bear children which gives them the right to take time for their child, if need be.
ReplyDeleteYou have great points, thanks for sharing your feedback! Like you said, women often do struggle with their confidence because they've experienced being looked at as inferior or incompetent in comparison to men. This is why our blog focuses on empowering women and helping them overcome these common struggles.
DeleteHi Sammi,
DeleteThank you for taking the time to tell us about experiences you've had.