Women Employees: Caution, Women at Work!

It ain’t easy being a woman in a man’s world and more so if you are a working woman. Many successful women have paved the way for other women to prove their abilities. By no means was this a simple task; ranging from chauvinism to sexual harassment, women employees have faced severe difficulties in the professional sphere. However, they have proved more than equal to the task and are outperforming their male counterparts regularly. Many employers today are waking up to this reality and catering to the needs of the female workforce. Take care of these things if your company has women employees:

Say no to discrimination: Women employees do not take gender-based discrimination lightly. Such attitudes have a significant impact on their productivity, hence, as an employer, you have to be careful to steer clear of any gender bias. Institute a transparent and merit based reward policy for all your employees. A similar attitude must be adopted while assigning responsibilities as well.

Sexual harassment: Policies against sexual harassment are a must when you have women at work. This is obviously a very sensitive issue and increasingly, women are taking colleagues and employers to court over such charges. It is important to understand what constitutes acceptable behavior, and anything remotely improper could be interpreted as sexual harassment. Take a look at the policies of some bigger establishments and design yours accordingly, making it as comprehensive as possible.

Flexibility: Women employees need greater flexibility, especially if they are mums with little kids. Having to stay away from young children could be a source of distraction for such women and hence, some flexibility in terms of working hours can be of great value. Another option is to permit women employees to work from home, especially during times when their family responsibilities take precedence. Some larger firms offer child care facilities, so that mums can work in peace while keeping an eye on their children.

Women friendly atmosphere: If you have women at work, design the office space accordingly. Ensure that rest rooms are well kept, equipped with medical aid and cleaned regularly. If you plan on having a unisex restroom, it would be advisable to consult with the women employees first to assess their comfort level.

Safety: This is such a huge concern these days, especially if working hours run late. Find out from your female staff if they need transportation arranged for them. Crimes against women are on the rise everywhere and the availability of such an option will provide them much needed security.

“Women and Workplace Discrimination: Overcoming Barriers to Gender Equality”
by Raymond F. Gregory talks about the common difficulties faced by women at work and the means of overcoming them. “In the Company of Women: Turning Workplace Conflict into Powerful Alliances”
by Patricia Heim, Susan Murphy, discusses why women employees behave the way they do.

There are many policies specific to women employees and a lot of them are legally mandatory. Consult a specialist if you need to, but make sure you do your bit to make your women employees feel right at home even at work!