Women in the workplace are a powerful, driving force that have really been given a stronger voice than ever over the past decade. For the first time, we have women running Fortune 500 companies, heading up some of the post popular businesses in the world, and making strides in the world of technology giants and innovative companies that are making a real difference in society.
But, there are still plenty of drawbacks when it comes to career issues for women, and it unfortunately starts from the top, with those successful women running larger companies. Whenever one of these women steps up, and gets a CEO position, or a Presidential position, chances are, you hear about it. It becomes ‘huge’ news – and while that can be great from a celebratory standpoint, it more often than not becomes news because it’s such a rarity, and people tend to have plenty to say about it.
Unfortunately, workplace issues for women are still surprisingly present, despite the decade we’re in. For as equal as women may seem, the constant competition with their male counterparts is always an underlying tone in many workplaces, even if it’s not 100% noticeable all the time. The problem happens when women simply aren’t taken as seriously as men, no matter what their job may be. Realistically, this happens even more when the woman has a job of higher power, and isn’t taken seriously. This can make it a struggle for women who are managers, CEOs, etc. to really get things done that are comparable to their initial vision.
Of course, perhaps the biggest career issue for women is an issue that continues to cause controversy not only in workplaces themselves, but all the way through the government: The wage gap. To this day, women still only make an average of 78 cents for every dollar a man makes in the workplace, for doing the exact same job. It may sound ridiculous, and that’s why many people continue to fight for wage equality for men and women. Unfortunately, the issue seems to be at a standstill at the moment. Though it’s been a topic of hot conversation, there have been little to no improvements or changes on it over the last ten years.
From dress codes, to maternity leave, and from assumed abilities to problems with authority, career issues for women are plentiful, even in the 21st century. Despite the fact that more women than ever are heading up giant companies, those women are facing the biggest struggles of all as pioneers of their kind. Whether or not it’s a trend that will be able to continue remains to be seen, but the ultimate goal is to get past the ‘phase’ of powerful women being a trend, and allow women to feel like equals, no matter where they work. From entry-level jobs to running a corporate operation, career issues for women can eventually be a thing of the past if progress continues to be pushed.