Women In The Workplace ~ A Guest Post

Here at the NSRCG Project we aim to bring you real stories faced by real women.

And today we have the lovely blogger Lunaty from The ReadingNook NZ here to talk to us about women in the workplace and the issues they face. 

Women In The Workplace

~ A guest post by Lunaty ~

We are all aware of the fact that there is a stereotypical divide between wages amongst jobs or your career path (if your lucky enough to be in one). It is a well known fact that ‘we’ as woman tend to earn a little less. However, just as gay marriage has become more of normality, our society is slowly coming around to pulling this rift together. 

Perhaps some sectors might even sport the opposite to be true (nursing, hairdressing, or what about early childhood educators). So how come I still have friends struggling to land that high position or that are working themselves flat without the reward they are aiming for? 

There seems to be one issue that regardless of equality in pay will still remain and it may have to do with this:

When a woman speaks up in the meeting room or on the job, they are easier dismissed or considered intrusive then when her male counterpart does so. The stereo typical assumption that woman should be the quite spectator, not make a fuss and let the men lead instead.

I read an article a while back whilst browsing LinkedIn (you know, because us professional woman also needs some ‘down time’ and FB is considered unproductive). It raised this exact issue and had me thinking on how this has had an impact on my career path, and still does. Point is, it struck a cord with me.

The article can be read here

The above article also states that woman who speak up in meetings or are opposing an idea, are frequently considered difficult or even high maintenance as oppose to a male counterpart who would be seen as ambitious. Ideas brought forward by woman get glanced over whilst if they are presented by a male, they would be delved into. Well, you catch my drift. 

And I have noticed this myself too.

Being in IT (software project management) to be exact, was not something I pursued from the get go but rolled into when the opportunity presented itself. I really have found my sweet spot and it makes me ambitious enough to pursue the next steps in this field. All in all it has been hard but rewarding to claim notice and move up to where I am now and still wish to go.

Little things though, such as superiors often times looking at male colleagues first for suggestions, for updates or to give extra responsibilities too. They all make it slightly harder for us to navigate toward our goals.

By nature I am an ambitious person. I seek to get ahead and have my visions of what I wish to achieve next. This road has not been easy though. Okay, partially that is to blame on my teenage years. I did not attend uni and my grades where far from perfect. Coming into the workforce, I had to start at the bottom. I also moved out of home at an early age and bought my own house at 21 so you know, you win some you lose some.

I am not exactly a feminist, though it may read like I am. Whilst I find these issues morbidly interesting and partially bothersome, I have no inclination to make an uproar about it or point it out to my team each time I see this in effect. And it does not happen all the time either of course. Some of us ladies are lucky enough to work in an office which respects both, and welcomes ideas from woman in leadership roles. I think the strength will depend on the industry your in.

Though what this knowledge has done for me is open my eyes to the fact that we need to be more open minded and push that little bit harder to be heard, specially when you feel your not getting through. Because IT IS NOT YOU! Your thoughts have merit and you have just as much right to share and be heard. Don't feel discouraged. Instead pick up on this titbit of information and take a tiny backseat if it means you get what you want. Or in my case, speak up more forcefully to make sure you get your idea/point/argument across.

It helped me on my career path to bite my tongue, more aware of the effect and outcome. On points that do matter to me, I use this awareness to become a little more forceful and direct, to not fear any potential rejection but contribute my stance and take the chance to stand out. 

Even though it may not be fair, the inclination for woman to be dismissed is reality and sometimes it just takes us to realize and adjust so we can use it to our advantage instead.

Have you ever experienced gender divide or inequality in the workplace? What are your thoughts on it? 

Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences with us in the comments section.

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The NSRCG Project: Activity

Take a look at your own work space, see if you can notice this happening. Find the courage to speak up more then you would have otherwise and don't let dismissal subdue your voice when it comes to points you are passionate about.  Being aware is half the battle.

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About the Guest Blogger

Born in Amsterdam I am currently based in Auckland, New Zealand where I live, work and play. I grew up with an instilled love for Fantasy and Fiction and absolutely adore reading whenever I have a free moment. I've been drawn into the world of YA, Fantasy, New Adult, Dystopian and Scifi and keep coming across some amazingly talented Indie authors. 

My reviews are shared on my blog and on Goodreads and through other social media. To me reading is a means of travelling the world and beyond, experiencing emotion on a completely different level. I appreciate the need to help new authors break through and share the talent that is out there. If I can help make a difference then this is my way of paying it forward.

Connect with Lunaty via her 

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