Essay Sample on Gender Gap and Compensation

Gender inequality has been an issue of concern in the business and social worlds throughout history. The inequality has been greatly experienced in the workplace, whereby men have had the upper hand when it comes to recruitment, promotions and even earning more than their female counterparts. According to recent data, women are massively underrepresented in top-tier jobs and only form about twenty percent of the board members in developed countries that form the OECD (Schooley, 2019). This paper, therefore, seeks to explore into detail the issues of gender gap and compensation and the measures and legal provisions put in place to bridge the gap.

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Closing the Gap

Minimal progress has been made in addressing gender inequality in the workplace. Women, and especially women of color, have been the most underrepresented in the top-tier jobs, as they continue to lag behind white women, men of color, and black women. Employers are least likely to hire women into entry positions as compared to men despite having the same qualifications. It is even more ironical considering that women currently earn more bachelor's degrees as compared to their male counterparts. Inadequate entry positions for women in the workplace results in even fewer women higher in the employment ladder, and thus even a more severe underrepresentation in the top-level positions (Schooley, 2019). A vicious cycle is therefore created as there are fewer qualified women for the top jobs in the workplace. Businesses must, therefore, show commitment to addressing the gender gap in workplaces. This will not only be attained by hiring more women as a start, but also ensuring total inclusivity in the workplaces. This will create a healthy working environment as every employee will feel accommodated.

Legal Provisions

The gender act of 2019 seeks to address the cases of discrimination based on gender and sexuality in the United States. The act has been adopted by 21 states with the intention of curbing the ever-growing cases of gender discrimination in the country. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 also seeks to empower women in the business sector besides offering consumer protection (Davaki, 2017). The act is expected to empower women by establishing offices for them in the federal financial agencies to promote their inclusivity in the sector that has traditionally been dominated by men. The two acts, however, fail to address the issue of gender gap head-on from the root course; the entry positions. Establishing offices for women in the higher positions will not work if the appointees do not have the required experience that can only be gained by promoting fairness during new entry positions recruitment (Davaki, 2017).

Recruitment Planning

Companies should consider hiring qualified women into senior positions and also promoting experienced women from within. Human resource managers should also be held accountable for promotion of gender equality and diversity in the workplace. Companies should also focus on building a culture where all the employees feel accepted and have a sense of belonging (Schooley, 2019). This will not only be a big step towards attaining diversity in the workplace but also closing the gender gap. Human resource managers should consider qualifications and experience when determining compensations for the workers. This should not be decided upon the gender of a worker (Davaki, 2017).

A workforce that is diverse and inclusive will only result in higher employee engagement and innovation. This will, in turn, result in higher financial returns and a larger market share for the business. Human resource professionals and business owners should, therefore, be on the forefront in the promotion of gender equality and equal pay in the workplaces.

References

Davaki, K. (2017). Gender equality policies. STEM Gender Equality Congress Proceedings, 1(1), 850-850. doi: 10.21820/25150774.2017.1.49

Schooley, S. (2019). The Workplace Gender Gap and How We Can Close It. Retrieved 7 October 2019, from https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/4178-gender-gap-workplace.html