Women now have equal rights to work in the same professions as men, but there are still many barriers to fair treatment of women in the workplace. Michaela Quinn details this issue in her blog post, explaining that while women are highly educated and qualified for jobs, they still hold fewer leadership positions than men. She suggests that by providing benefits for both maternal and paternal leave, we can create a more fair workplace for women. I believe that this would be a great first step to improving the situation. Yet, there are still some gender norms that prevent women from advancement which must be addressed if we are to achieve full equality.

Assertive women are often negatively labelled as “bossy”.

I’ve been called bossy. I’ve seen other girls and women get called bossy too. When women behave assertively, this label is placed on them. However, when men behave in the same way, they are praised for their strength and confidence. This negative attitude towards strong, assertive women is a major barrier to women gaining leadership roles.

Ban Bossy is a campaign that was launched to combat this stigma against women in leadership. Their website displays a troubling statistic, saying that “between elementary and high school, girls’ self-esteem drops 3.5 times more than boys.” It is clear that in childhood, girls have a shortage of female role models and are conditioned to believe that they are less capable than men. As they grow older, women in leadership are faced with even more stereotypes in the workplace, often being viewed as angry and “masculine”. Their achievements are undervalued, as they are either seen as token females, single and lonely, or having used “feminine persuasion” so get to their positions of power. To avoid these negative stereotypes, women tend to stay away from leadership roles. Even for those who do enter positions of power, these stereotypes are still harmful, as they prevent women from being taken seriously in their work.

It is important for organizations to recognize this issue, as women’s representation in the workplace is important to a company’s success. Women cannot achieve their highest potential and contribute to an organization if they are not given the chance to do so. They bring in a unique perspective that can also add value to the team. The importance of women to a company’s success has already been demonstrated, as studies show that “companies with more women board directors had a 53-per-cent higher return on equity, a 42-per-cent higher return on sales and a 66-per-cent higher return on invested capital.”

To conclude, the use of the word “bossy” hints at larger barriers that prevent women from achieving their potential. For organizations to be successful, it is important that we empower girls and women to break these negative stereotypes and allow them to pursue leadership roles as freely as their male counterparts.

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References:

Ban Bossy. Encourage Girls to Lead. (n.d.). Retrieved April 01, 2017, from http://banbossy.com/

Gillis, D. (2010, November 01). More women in the workplace is good for business. Retrieved March 31, 2017, from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/time-to-lead/more-women-in-the-workplace-is-good-for-business/article1215920/

Goudreau, J. (2011, October 24). The 10 Worst Stereotypes About Powerful Women. Retrieved April 01, 2017, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/jennagoudreau/2011/10/24/worst-stereotypes-powerful-women-christine-lagarde-hillary-clinton/2/#2e15c17f504a

Teamwork is an integral part of every organization, allowing for collaboration and efficiency. Yet, some organizations have stronger teams than others. Why is this the case?

In her blog post, Gurleen Gill discusses the benefits of good teams in organizations. She notes that teamwork can strengthen an employee’s productivity and dedication to their organization, leading to higher employee satisfaction. This would benefit organizations because it would help them retain their employees and produce higher quality work.

Walt Disney Co. is the company that Americans want to work for most.

Walt Disney Co. is the company that Americans want to work for most, and is known for its excellent culture. So how can organizations learn from “The Happiest Place on Earth” to improve their own teams?

Disney thrives off creating connections between people using storytelling. Fans and employees of Disney alike share a common passion for the stories that Disney tells, from classics like Dumbo to modern tales like Frozen, and even the story of the founder, Walt Disney himself. Employees have often grown up with Disney stories, and they will always have a lasting personal connection to Disney’s culture, enabling them to believe in the company’s brand.

Another important element of Disney’s culture is the unique language used within Disney, creating a new level of connection and team spirit. Disney preaches that it is “The Happiest Place on Earth”, creating an air of positivity for employees. The naming of locations as “Disneyland” or “Disneyworld” evoke feelings among employees that the company is its own kind of dreamland, making it clear that this is a truly unique place to work at. Jobs around the theme park are also given their own special Disney-related terms. For example, engineers and artists who design the attractions are called “Imagineers”, and resort service workers are called “Mousekeepers”. The use of these special terms helps to forge yet another unique connection between employees and Disney.

Mickey Mouse and his friends are important symbols for Disney’s company culture.

Organizations also require material symbols to demonstrate pride in their company culture, and Disney has no shortage of this. Mickey Mouse has been the symbol for Disney for years, later joined by Minnie, Donald, Daisy, Goofy and Pluto. Through establishing a long-lasting connection with these characters and producing stories about them, they have become the face of Disney and help to create a family atmosphere. Other important symbols for Disney include castles, Tinker Bell, and the Disney princesses, all of which contribute to creating long-lasting connections between Disney and its customers and potential employees.

Through its success and popularity throughout the years, Disney demonstrates that by establishing a personal and tangible connection to the organization, strong teams and organizational culture can be developed to allow a company to thrive. If companies want to make their own teams successful, they should take a page out of Disney’s books.

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References:

Whisenhunt, J. (2013, September 08). Disneyspeak: Do You Speak Disney’s Language? Retrieved March 31, 2017, from http://www.chipandco.com/disneyspeak-speak-disneys-language-62241/

Zillman, C. (2016, June 6). Disney is Named the Company Americans Want to Work for Most. Retrieved March 31, 2017, from http://fortune.com/2016/06/06/fortune-500-disney-most-desired-employer/

It’s the American Dream: work hard, and you can achieve success and prosperity. But is this dream really achievable?

Many workers move to North America in hopes of achieving a prosperous life. But exactly how realistic is this ‘American Dream’?

In her blog post, Mariana Martinez-Rubio discusses the disadvantages faced by lower class entrants to the workforce in their search for internships. Often, internships are offered at very low rates or for no compensation at all. While the focus is on the student gaining work experience rather than making a living, looking at internship programs demonstrates an inherent disadvantage for those coming from lower class backgrounds. Those who already struggle to make a living simply cannot afford to work for free and can have trouble surviving on free or lowly paid internships. Thus, internships are often a luxury that only the privileged can afford.

The disadvantages faced by lower class students and workers do not stop at internships. If these people cannot participate in internships, they will be at a disadvantage in comparison to candidates with intern experience when entering the workforce. This demonstrates only one aspect of the classism prevalent in the workforce.

Other factors that prevent the lower class from achieving their potential is the cost of education and job training. While the wealthy can easily afford to attend post-secondary education or receive job training, low-income households find it very difficult to receive proper training. Scholarships and loans are offered, but students will still need to worry about keeping their grades and extracurricular involvement up to qualify for scholarships or making enough money to pay off their student loans. After struggling to receive an education, the lower class continue to face difficulty in finding work. Even if they do get an interview, they must be able to afford nice haircuts and professional clothing to appear presentable at interviews. The costs of gaining work training, experience and resources are an unfair barrier to the lower class, preventing them from breaking out of their current place in the class hierarchy and from achieving the so-called American Dream.

What can be done to help achieve equity among all prospective workers? Lowering the cost of education, making financial need-based scholarships more readily available, and placing less emphasis on the physical appearance of job applicants are examples of a few steps that can be taken to improve the situation. Through the provision of methods of empowerment for lower class workers, individuals can all have a fair opportunity to reach their potential and achieve success and prosperity.

Chief executive officer: most coveted position in a company. With their authority, power and salary, CEO positions offer the highest level of prestige. There is a lot of advice out there about how to be a good supervisor, taking employees’ needs into consideration and ensuring workers are happy. But what about keeping CEOs happy?

Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh is well-known for his excellent relationships with employees.

High positions like the CEO position can be isolating, since most organizations operate like a pyramid, with many subordinates at the bottom and fewer and fewer managers moving upwards in the workplace hierarchy. Being in such a high leadership position breeds loneliness. According a study cited in the Harvard Business Review, half of CEOs reported feelings of loneliness in their roles, and the majority of lonely CEOs believe these feelings have an impact on their performance. This has a clear negative effect on both the CEO and the organization, leading to a lack of motivation towards the job. In many positions of authority, leaders feel a similar distance from their employees.

After being promoted, it is difficult for supervisors to maintain close relationships with their subordinates, because it can result in favouritism or difficulty enforcing discipline. I had a discussion last week with a Residence Advisor who works in Walter Gage, and he told me about the difficulties of being an RA in a suite-style residence. In his position, he was both friends with his suitemates, but also had to enforce residence rules and discipline as their RA. He told me about the difficulty in separating his personal relationships from his job, and this can apply to many leaders in that they wish to be friends with the people that they are leading, but must also draw a line between the personal and the professional.

It is important to address this issue, since it can impact productivity and the work environment. How can leaders combat these feelings in order to perform as best they can at their jobs? One way to deal with loneliness is by having a pair or team of managers, rather than one person who oversees all. For example, when I worked at a law firm as a student intern, the firm was owned and managed by two lawyers. As partners, they could manage employees together and also look to one another for companionship. Another option is working in self-managed teams, so that all team members are on the same level and there are no hierarchal complications.

Companies need to address the emotions of CEOs, because emotion is inevitably a variable that has an impact on the work being done. By providing leaders with companionship, they will come into work with improved attitudes and a stronger work ethic.

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References:

Hedges, K. (2012, February 23). Do You Feel Lonely As A Leader? Study Says You’re Not Alone. Retrieved February 05, 2017, from http://www.forbes.com/sites/work-in-progress/2012/02/23/if-mark-zuckerberg-is-lonely-heres-my-solution/#1ae5055d26f4

Saporito, T. J. (2012, February 15). It’s Time to Acknowledge CEO Loneliness. Retrieved February 05, 2017, from https://hbr.org/2012/02/its-time-to-acknowledge-ceo-lo

Job applicants with “black-sounding” names are less likely to get callbacks than those with “white-sounding” names.

Most of us have never considered that our names can have a profound effect on our lives. A name is not an indicator of our skills, our experiences, or our worth to society. Yet, studies show that employers select their employees based on their names, rather than the qualifications they will bring to the job. One Latino man named Jose Zamora recognised this fact and decided to use it to his advantage. After searching for a job for months, Jose decided to drop the “s” in his name, applying instead as “Joe” Zamora. Suddenly, he began to receive a whirlwind of responses. After removing only one letter on his resume, employees were suddenly interested in hiring him. What was the difference?

Ethnicity. Even if hiring managers were not consciously discriminating against Latino names, Jose’s situation is an indication of a clearly unfair hiring process. And he is not alone. Studies show that applicants with “black-sounding” names receive 50% fewer callbacks than those with “white-sounding” names, regardless of each having equal experience and qualifications. Such discrimination has also been shown towards those with Latino names.

This is a problem not only for black and Latino people searching for jobs, but also for the employers. The inclination to hire Caucasian people is very dangerous, as that candidate may not necessarily be the best candidate for the position. Furthermore, a diverse group of employees is an asset because they will bring in new perspectives and ideas that can benefit organizations. Companies will also benefit by being able to more effectively communicate with different customer groups and understand diverse customer needs. Personally, I would feel much more comfortable as a client with a company having a diverse employee base, rather than being composed of primarily one racial group.

Given the benefits of hiring a diverse workforce, it is clear that organizations need to improve their hiring processes to give all applicants a fair opportunity. They could start by ensuring their hiring committees understand the value in diversity and are not racially prejudiced. Another possible solution would be to take out names and only allow hiring managers look at the job applications when deciding who to give a call back. This is clearly an issue to be grappled with by both employers and employees, but the first step is to create an awareness for the issue and to educate those who are in charge of hiring. In the future, I would hope to see fair racial representation in the workforce and diversity that encompasses all races, including black, Caucasian, Latino, Asian and First Nations.

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References:

Discrimination in the Job Market in the United States. (n.d.). Retrieved February 04, 2017, from https://www.povertyactionlab.org/evaluation/discrimination-job-market-united-states

Canada, Q. (2016, September 13). 5 Black Owned Start-Ups in Austin. Retrieved February 04, 2017, from http://runningfromemptyshoes.com/2016/09/13/5-black-owned-start-ups-in-austin/

Matthews, C. (2014, September 2). He Dropped One Letter In His Name While Applying For Jobs, And The Responses Rolled In. Retrieved February 04, 2017, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/02/jose-joe-job-discrimination_n_5753880.html

Workplace fashion is both a necessary and contradictory part of any job.

As a business student, I attend many events and conferences for which there is a dress code. Whether it be “business casual”, “semi-formal” or “black tie”, all dress codes come with certain expectations for their wearers. When it comes to dress codes in the workplace, they are definitely necessary for maintaining team unity and conveying professionalism. However, dress codes can also come with sexist expectations that may negatively affect workers’ attitudes.

In workplaces where roles are often associated with a certain gender, sexism is prevalent in the way that workers are made to dress. One of the primary places where this occurs is in restaurants. Female servers are often required to wear short skirts, low-cut tops and high-heeled shoes, which is both a safety concern and an objectifying requirement to women, valuing them for their physical appearance rather than the quality of their work. Other workplaces where sexist dress codes are commonly found include hospitality, travel and retail (Reuters 2017). For example, female retail workers have reported that their managers have told them they need to “look sexy” at work (Jamieson 2016). With one in five women feeling that “their bosses [pay] more attention to their appearance than they [do] to their male colleagues”, and reports of women being sent home from their offices for wearing flat shoes, it is clear that women often face more expectations and pressures at work than men (Jamieson 2016). Having strictly male and female divided dress codes also poses a major difficulty to those who are transgender or choose to cross-dress.

Women are often made to wear high heels at work, posing a health and safety hazard.

Three components of attitude would be negatively affected by the implementation of sexist dress codes in the workplace. First, the cognitive component would become the belief, “my employer is sexist.” Then, the affective component would become a feeling of being underappreciated and uncomfortable at work. Finally, this would result in a behavioural change, with workers developing negative attitudes towards work, lessening their commitment. Female employees have begun to speak up against sexism: for example, a woman in the UK named Nicola Thorp has started a petition against mandatory high-heels in her workplace after not being paid because she was not wearing high heels to work (Reuters 2017).

The negative effects of dress codes on workplace attitudes is a concern that all employers must take into consideration. My advice to employers is to consider whether enforcing traditional dress codes and objectifying women’s bodies is truly worth sacrificing the true value that women bring to the workplace: their skills and knowledge.

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References:

Collings, K. (2014, May 28). 9 Style Rules Every Working Woman Should Follow. Retrieved January 28, 2017, from http://www.whowhatwear.com/office-work-fashion-style-rules-dos-donts-2014

Jamieson, S. (2016, September 21). Women are told by bosses to wear more make-up and put on high heels because it’s ‘better for business’ . Retrieved January 28, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/20/women-are-told-by-their-bosses-to-wear-more-make-up-and-put-on-h/

Reuters. (2017, January 26). Sexist – and illegal – dress codes rife in UK workplaces. Retrieved January 28, 2017, from https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/world/2017/01/sexist-and-illegal-dress-codes-rife-in-uk-workplaces.html