Women And Workplace Discrimination In Australian Organizations: Challenges And Solutions

Problem Statement

Discuss about the Women and Workplace Discrimination in Australian Organizations.

There is growing concern over women discrimination in the workplace all over the world. The proliferation of discrimination against women rests of the thriving of biased perception of women and the perceived weaknesses of the female sex by their male counterparts. In the words of Strong (2016), gender differences are deep-rooted in many cultures and have been for a long time ignored and denied individuals the right to articulate and themselves in the social context (31). Indeed, the exemplification of gender biases is a historical projection of the social construction and perception of women.  The social denial of gender equality has surpassed the historical boundaries and entered into the contemporary society leaving horrible experiences among women (Kira et al., 2015, p.2042). The job market appears to be one of the most affected sectors by the isms of male dominance and women have seen themselves take the second spot regarding pay and skills development. Notably, most organizations appear to see women as not deserving equal pay with men. Notwithstanding, influential positions seem to be a reserve of men as women have not been socialized to becoming leaders of men and men are not ready to follow orders from them (Denissen and Saguy et al., 2014, p.384). The Australian job market appears not to be immune to the inimical exercise of authority against women making them submerged under the wings male authority. It is essential to examine the relationships of power among men and women in the workplace and the effects it has on gender power and relations in Australian labor market.

While many women still face gender bias and discrimination, in the past few decades, the number of women thriving in business, politics and technology etc. is certainly on the rise. Society has started appreciating the role of women and is now viewing them in a different perspective. Today, women work as nurses, doctors, lawyers, social workers, secretaries, teachers, officers and managers etc. There is not a single profession currently where women are not employed (Pagan, 2018). Nonetheless, it is true that working women still face hitches by virtue of their gender. At work place for instance, women commonly face, sexual harassment, mental stress, safety and security issues discriminatory practices, etc.

It is noble to celebrate how far Australia has advanced concerning women and work issue, but policymakers have got a long way to go to streamline workplaces policies towards incorporating women fully (Sun, 2009). For instance, although more women in Australia are working nowadays, they are still worse paid than men with this kind of discrimination against women at workplace being accused for the 16.2% gap in wages (Hodgson and Schlager, 2017). Revealingly, gender pay gaps in favor of men are understood to rise abruptly in companies where the management ranks are greatly dominated by female employees (over and above 80% women). This replicates the fact that not only do female employees in female-dominated companies are paid lower but  also that in workplaces which are heavily dominated by female management teams, there are great gender pay gaps in favor of men (O’Loughlin et al., 2017).  This is so true in Australia to the extent that the disparity in pay starts right at the first job, with young graduate women pocketing 2.8% less on base salary and 2.1% less on total remuneration (Hodgson and Schlager, 2017). The gap increases with seniority.

Research Objectives

While the employment discrimination against women in Australia is a serious issue, it has not been acknowledged as such throughout society. Consequently, it is a problematic task to eradicate gender discriminations in in a short term. In the existing legal system of Australia, even though there are some provisions shielding equal working rights for women, they are still unsystematic and dispersive. Furthermore, these regulations are too theoretical and general to offer effective protection for women. Learning such experience would help Australia to offer effective protection on women and improve the rank of women in the entire society.

Main Objective

This paper seeks to understand the perceived gender-based discrimination in Australia as experienced by female employees in workplaces.

Specific Objectives

Other research objectives that this study attempts to address include:

1. To gain understanding about the challenges and problems that are faced by Australian working women at the workplace.
2. To examine the level of fairness in appointment, promotion and compensation of women in Australia.
3. To discover possible solutions that could women to overcome the several kinds of discrimination they face in the workplace.

The study evinces the following research questions for the survey at hand allied to harm and challenges that Australian working women encounter with in the workplace:

1. How do women balance between paid employment and family life?
2. What challenges and problems do Australian working women face at the workplace?
3. Do different organizations in Australia exercise fairness in appointment, promotion and compensation of women in Australia?
4. What are the possible solutions that could women to overcome the several kinds of discrimination they face in the workplace?

The issue about to the rights of working women in Australia is not only a common research topic among Australian scholars, but also fascinates scholars from other countries. An increasing number of cross-country comparative surveys have been piloted. Nonetheless, most of these research focus on explanations and reviews of the discrimination state, instead of theoretical examination and feasible recommendations. On the basis of the current research, this paper will pay a close emphasis on the legal structure of antidiscrimination against women in workplace in Australia, uniting description on occupation discrimination against women and examination of the motives. Understanding the drivers of the gender inequality with a key emphasis on the pay gap in Australian organizations is pivotal to designing interventions that will facilitate organizations to close such gaps. Studying the experience of working women in Australia is a new arena, and it will make considerable contributions to the contemporary comparative studies on working women discriminations in the workplaces. Another unique feature of this paper is that about the recommendations for Australia to develop and implement effective protection on equal rights for working women, it will propose sophisticated and systematic measures from economic, social, legal, and cultural perspectives.

This research is important as it would help the policymakers in understanding the contemporary status of women in Australia and what kind of challenges they go through on a daily basis in their places of work and find possible solutions for such. Some solutions can be presented for improvement of Australian working women in the work place. Besides, the results of the study can be used to raise awareness among the society regarding the equal importance of men and women thus supporting in implementation of measures to improve the current security and status of the women.

Research Questions

 Limitations of the Study

All scientific studies are subjected to few limitations, even though these may vary in regard to the size of limitations. The researcher expects the findings of the current study to be subject to the number of limitations. First, the fact that the study area will be limited to two small township could highly imply that the results of the research are pertinent only to comparable kind of situation analysis. Second, the study will relate to a particular time.  Thus, the findings may not be valid for over a longer duration because of fast changing socio-cultural and socio-economic setting in this research area. As a consequence of limitation of time and other resources that are involved in any particular study, the current study will be confined to few samples. Consequently, the result  that could be obtained from this research might have limited use i.e., it cannot be expected to offer data, capable of generalization over other areas and could have regional biasness, but certainly the broad resemblances specific to a specific gender, will give some discernment to the research.

The study evinces the following research hypothesis for the research at hand about challenges and problems that are faced by Australian working women ta their places of work:

• H (1) Null Hypothesis:  There exist great gender pay gaps in favor of men to their women counterparts in Australian organizations among other forms of discrimination at workplaces.
• H (2): Alternate Hypothesis: There does not exist gender pay gaps in favor of men to their women counterparts in Australian organizations among other forms of discrimination at workplaces.

There are several advancements made towards women discrimination in the workplace. Most of the elements presented are overwhelmingly historical in context. In the words of Leskinen et al., (2015), all societies have social roles that create a chasm of women and male responsibilities (201). These divisions are then anchored under cultural beliefs and norms. Therefore, it is impossible to alienate culture from discrimination of women. Indeed, the majority of societies perceive gender diversification in connection with the discrimination against women (Okechukwu et al., 2014, p.582). The trajectory of the social relations of gender depicts a deliberate process to bring women under male dominance disguised under the hypothetical belief that women are weaker sex compared to their male counterparts. For example, the admittance of women to study specific types of studies came a few years ago as the society held that women could not make it in them. Moreover, women have been perceived as domestic workers whose roles are to take care of the family outside the public domain. Unfortunately, there have been deliberate efforts by social institutions to bar women from accessing the public sphere even in the modern society. In the words of Connerley and Wu (2016), the edifice of the contemporary society draws much of its philosophy from dominant male opinions making it hard to conceptualize a case of a woman rising above men in all social institutions. Instead of seeing women as the potential change in the dynamic world, men have continued to see them as a threat in the labor market.

Justification for the Study

Practicing discrimination without substantial gender power differences would be impossible. According to a study conducted by Cole (2013), inequality in holding power is critical in affecting the level of organizational, financial, and cultural resources owned by a population (238). The dynamics of power relations appear to be the most domineering element that defines the level and rules of engagement while developing and influencing policies. Indeed, the more power an individual yields, the more they can raise their influence over others and take the lead over others. Therefore, the subjugation of women makes it impossible for them to elevate their standards in the workplace. Another study conducted by Cunningham and Paradies (2013), showed that people in influential positions within organizations could influence the decision-making process helping develop policies that favor their sides (65). Others who have little contribution will always be at the receiving end condemning them to receive orders and executing procedures on behalf of their masters while little trickles down into their pockets. The marginalization of women in leadership among organizations polarizes their efforts to affect policy development for their welfare. According to Denissen and Saguy (2014), gender discrimination and power imbalance consolidate the existing division of power and power distance between male and females. Therefore, the interplay of power relations strengthens the discriminating denying the discriminated the opportunity to access resources and services. Thus, there is a reduction in social, political, and economic roles performed by the victims of the social determinism.

Discrimination of women in the workplace among organizations stems from many overlapping and mutually enhancing processes. According to North (2016), men have already asserted their influence in the organizational ladder and challenging them is a difficult task (361). The position held by men in the corporate ladder helps define the rules in the sector making it impossible for women to air their concerns. Despite feeling threatened by the accession of women into the cooperate ladder, men have the social and political advantage in influencing the decisions made at policy development level (Duguet, Looc and Petit, 2017). The trend makes it inevitable for women to make constructive engagement while formulating rules and regulations in the industries. According to Cunningham and Paradies (2013), women in Australia receive an average of &251.20 less compared to men every week (43). The statistics beg the question of the justification for the biases against women despite engaging in similar tasks with men. The lingering truth of discrimination against women in organizations continues to elicit several concerns. It is absurd that the new millennium still records sexual segregation among the cooperate world. Sexual harassment appears a growing vice in most organizations as women have been forced to give in to the demands of their employers for them to secure employment (Strong, 2016, p.54). The growing disparity in remuneration among men and women in the cooperate world continues to subjugate them and hamper efforts to empower them economically and politically.

Implication of the Study

Men find it hard to empower women in the contemporary organizational environment. The thriving of evil practices against women rests on the inability to change the old perception that women are weak and deserve easy tasks with fewer paybacks (Denissen and Saguy 2014, p.391). Unfortunately, puppet women who believe that the things held against them are justified have supported the continuation of the vices against women. The notion that women should stay away from the public sphere rests on their willingness to challenge the social order (Okechukwu et al., 2014, p.582). However, these efforts must come with a bold step to deny the edifice that characterizes women and men as different entities. Indeed, there are apparent disparities that require no challenging. Nonetheless, the cooperate world must recognize the need to treat all people with dignity their without using unfounded claims to assert that specific gender possesses weakness. In the words of Cole (2013), it is essential to lay a new foundation form the elementary level that will ensure that the prior perception of women in the organizations thrives no more (246). The government may also intervene to help redefine the boundaries of gender by establishing cooperate regulations that will create an equal platform of participation and deliberation. Indeed, without rules to define participation boundaries, it will all end in vain, and women will continue suffering under male-dominated ideals. People must realize that the old notion of men superiority is gone and it is time to reward and treat people because of what they can offer rather than what predetermined rules give them.

This study is exploratory in nature and seek out to identify the challenges and problems that are faced by Australian working women in various professional sectors like public sector enterprises, hospitals, schools and colleges, banks commercial institutions etc. Additionally, the research also aims also at establishing the organizational backings for women workers so that they are able to deliver effectively to their organization and are capable to realize their full potential. The present study will survey only town women staffs in white collar-jobs who have been in their jobs for not less than five months. The research will piloted within Melbourne city. Melbourne city is a multi-ethnic, multi-linguistic, multi-cultural and multi-religious city (Aguinis and Vandenberg, 2007). This diversity makes it more fascinating for this study. The places that will be covered in the study include the local colleges, schools, hospitals, banks, Public Sector enterprises, Commercial organizations, Engineering services, etc. Primary data will be gathered from 120 working women of the systematized sector using a mixed-methods research design that will include questionnaire, face-to-face-interviews and Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). The data collection period will range a one month time from June 2018 to July 2018.

Limitations of the Study

The research will adopt methods triangulation to establish the reliability and validity of the study (Fernandez, 2013). Data will be collected using face-to-face interviews and through three focus group discussions.  The questionnaire will consist of five open-ended and 18 close-ended questions

The investigator will take into consideration both quantitative and qualitative aspects for this study. A questionnaire-based survey will be conducted among the city working women of the chosen localities, on top of face to face interviews and FGDs. The questionnaire will consist of 23 items on different aspects of the study over and above the demographic particulars of the participants. The researcher will initially conduct a pilot study among 15 of different working women of Melbourne city to test the validity of the survey instrument. Consequently, certain items will be dropped while others will be revised for improved elicitation of results. For data collection, the researcher will use the personal contact method. Questionnaires will be issued to a sample of 120 working women situated in Melbourne. The researcher will interact with each of these women and interview then face-to-face. Some connected questions will be inquired of them and the comments will be noted down. Besides to face-to-face interviews, the researcher will conduct three focus group discussions with 10 women in each group. These deliberations are also expect to elicit data and information that will have been discussed in the previous chapter. Different methods will also be employed to collect data on the working women. The questionnaire will consisted of 5 open-ended and 18 close-ended questions to achieve the purposes of the survey. The items in the survey tool will include the issues of urban working women and related parameters such promotion matters, mental and sexual harassment, family care matters, discrimination on the basis of sex, safety and security issues  and prejudices and discrimination at workplace, etc (Fernandez, 2013). The items/statements for the survey instrument will be formed after reviewing relevant literature and some preliminary surveys that have been done around this study area. In addition the attitude scale, the survey instrument will also include a part to capture the general profile of participants. The researcher will ask them about their demographic details including age, marital status, education level, years of experience, profession, type of organization they work for etc.

The researcher will scrutinize thoroughly the data and information that he will collect from observations, questionnaire, interviews, and reviewing literatures on the study topic using mixed methods i.e. quantitative and qualitative data analysis methods.

Research Hypothesis

Quantitative Data

Numerical data or quantitative will be collected from survey questionnaire to quantify opinions, attitudes, character of the female workers etc. The researcher will use descriptive data analysis method to analyze quantitative data. A series of investigations and interpretations on the obtained data will be performed systematically to conclude on the prevalent forms of discriminations that working women in Australians organizations are subject to.

Qualitative Data

Non?numerical or qualitative or data will be collected through literature reviews, observations, and interviews and will be used to gain knowledge of underlying opinions and reasons why women discrimination at workplaces is still rampant in Australia despite the Australian government having made great strides towards reducing the vice. Predictive data analysis methods such as frequency, Pearson’s correlation chi?square and Analysis of variance (ANOVA), will be carried out to determine the degree of relationship between the study variables.

The following table evinces the timeframe for the whole project to be accomplished

Milestones and Deliverables

In summary, the budget of this study will be as follows

The organization of the project is as follows:

• Chapter One will be the introduction and background, research problem, research objectives, justification for the study and the hypothesis of the study topic.
• Chapter Two will detail the literature review.
• Chapter Three will include the details of methodology i.e. data collection methods, face-to-face-interviews, observations
• Chapter Four will evincedata analysis methods and the results and of the proposed survey.
• Chapter Five will summarize the significant findings and deliberate on necessary interventions that should be adopted by policymakers, government and the society at large, to end discrimination of working women in workplaces in Australian organizations.

Reference List

Aguinis, H. and Vandenberg, R. (2007). Organizational Research Methods Yearly Update. Organizational Research Methods, 11(1), pp.3-5.

Cole, W.M., 2013. Government respect for gendered rights: The effect of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women on women’s rights outcomes, 1981–2004. International Studies Quarterly, 57(2), pp.233-249.

Connerley, M.L. and Wu, J. eds., 2016. Handbook on Well-Being of Working Women. Springer.

Cunningham, J. and Paradies, Y.C., 2013. Patterns and correlates of self-reported racial discrimination among Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adults, 2008–09: analysis of national survey data. International journal for equity in health, 12(1), p.47-119.

Denissen, A.M. and Saguy, A.C., 2014. Gendered homophobia and the contradictions of workplace discrimination for women in the building trades. Gender & Society, 28(3), pp.381-403.

Duguet, E., Looc, D. and Petit, P. (2017). Hiring Discrimination Against Women: Distinguishing Taste Based Discrimination from Statistical Discrimination. SSRN Electronic Journal.

Hodgson, A. and Schlager, L. (2017). Closing the PDF gap: ReadCube’s experiments in reader-focused design. Learned Publishing, 30(1), pp.65-69.

Kira, I.A., Hanaa, S. and Bujold-Bugeaud, M., 2015. Gender discrimination (GD): A conceptual trauma-based framework for GD and the development of Gender Discrimination Inventory. Psychology, 6(16), p.2041-2066.

Leskinen, E.A., Rabelo, V.C. and Cortina, L.M., 2015. Gender stereotyping and harassment: A “catch-22” for women in the workplace. Psychology, Public Policy, and Law, 21(2), p.192-250.

North, L., 2016. The Gender of “soft” and “hard” news: Female journalists’ views on gendered story allocations. Journalism Studies, 17(3), pp.356-373.

O’Loughlin, K., Kendig, H., Hussain, R. and Cannon, L. (2017). Perceptions and Experiences of Workplace-Based Age Discrimination in Australia. Innovation in Aging, 1(suppl_1), pp.792-793.

Okechukwu, C.A., Souza, K., Davis, K.D. and de Castro, A.B., 2014. Discrimination, harassment, abuse, and bullying in the workplace: Contribution of workplace injustice to occupational health disparities. American journal of industrial medicine, 57(5), pp.573-586.

Pagan, V. (2018). Integrating Gender Equality into Business and Management EducationIntegrating Gender Equality into Business and Management Education by Patricia M. Flynn, Kathryn Haynes and Maureen A. Kilgour Sheffield Greenleaf Publishing 2015 420 pp. Gender in Management: An International Journal, 33(1), pp.80-84.

Strong, H.L., 2016. Discrimination of Women in the Workplace.

Sun, X. (2009). Salary Management Model of Professional Managers-Based on “Agent and Salary Theory” and “Psychological Contract Theory”. International Journal of Business and Management, 4(10).

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