| Never in the recent past have the debates over the | | | | be at an advantage in typical jobs, which is evident |
| matter of women's progression in their careers been | | | | from the statistics available: 53% women as opposed |
| as big as they are now. Nevertheless, the matter has | | | | to 47% men. This is what can be called a |
| always been discussed but not with the same | | | | socio-gender-related problem. It is gender-related |
| intensity as it is today. With an increasing percentage | | | | because men have an advantage over women by in |
| of women in United States workforce (53%) in all | | | | the types of jobs that require a lot of travel, or |
| professions, different barriers to progress have gone | | | | those which are physical in nature. |
| up. | | | | Women of substance have excelled in their |
| Barriers To Women's Career Progression | | | | independent careers. One doesn't need to look too |
| Taking a holistic look at the women's career path | | | | far for names, as they are so dominant in their |
| makes clear that while most barriers are external, | | | | professions that their names could inspire those who |
| there some which are also internal. | | | | want to tread their career paths. Why this can't be |
| Historically, male-dominated society has always | | | | replicated in private industry? HRM practitioners |
| viewed women as unequal and relegated women to | | | | complain that there is just not enough talent for the |
| secondary career positions. This is still being reflected | | | | top jobs. Even organic or preferential promotions to |
| in the modern skill-based job market by assigning | | | | the top jobs are almost always based on the natural |
| women more and more to routine and mundane jobs | | | | progression principle. |
| that hardly carry decision-making authority. Even | | | | Other areas of concern, such as maternity leave, are |
| within new Human Resource Management processes, | | | | also hindering women's progression, although you |
| many processes for recruitment, interviews and | | | | would be hard-pressed to find an executive who |
| aptitude tests, are sometimes centered on men | | | | would speak about this openly. Privately, many male |
| rather than women. | | | | executives cite women's lack of demonstrated |
| While entry-level jobs such as teaching, healthcare | | | | willingness and courage to take bold steps as |
| and accounting are open to everyone, the dominant | | | | decision-makers and lack of risk-taking behavior as |
| male population, which already occupies these jobs, | | | | some of the most major psychological barriers. |
| leaves less room for women to enter and make a | | | | In order to remove some of the physical and |
| mark. Of late, the balance may be found to be | | | | psychological barriers to women's career progression |
| shifting in favor of women, but the very nature of | | | | in private industry, a major attitudinal shift has to be |
| jobs in this category is such that women's upward | | | | made. Change will not come instantly, but over time, |
| mobility is far from being significant because of the | | | | as society becomes more comfortable with women's |
| fundamental and apparent lack of headroom (the | | | | increasing role in the business world. |
| glass ceiling). Women intrinsically think themselves to | | | | |