Female employees have not been fairly treated in many organizations, and the situation remains the same even with modernity and the introduction of technology. It was anticipated that with time things would improve but it does not look any better compared to decades ago. Sometimes it’s dehumanizing and an embarrassing situation for HR professionals when women are poorly treated. Female colleagues continue to suffer in silence and this affects their self-esteem and work. It is important that we tackle how they are being treated in the workplace. Women are still too often harassed, belittled, and even abused at work. But we can all help in dealing with these negativity permanently.
The best way to tackle an existing problem is to become part of the solution, and that preventing a problem is better than dealing with it. It is therefore imperative to address these concerns from a perspective of prevention.
It all has to do with how we treat each other, men and women alike. If you want things to get better, commit to doing better. When you do, you influence others to do the same–and just a handful of people can turn a culture of harassment into one of respect. Organizations must consciously institute a culture that respects the rights of female colleagues.
Stop calling smart women difficult: Women who are smart and not compliant are sometimes called aggressive or disrespectful. They don’t deserve those labels, so make a note–smart women are smart women, they take chances and make things happen out of impossibilities. That doesn’t make them complicated or difficult. They only have standards, principles and are very ethical in whatever they do.
Offering protection: When you have power or influence, use it to elevate and inspire those around you, not to belittle and take advantage of them. Power and authority must be used to offer protection and support to the vulnerable.
Don’t manipulate: Manipulative behaviour of any sort is a sign of weakness of character. Refuse to accept it in yourself or others. Manipulators are relentless in the pursuit of what they want, with no regard for who gets hurts along the way. They ask for far too many and resort to blackmail in many instances.
No prejudice against women: Often time prejudicial tendencies are expressed in many ways against women, it comes in the form of hatred, contempt, social exclusion, sex discrimination, hostile behaviours etc. Don’t go along with them, don’t laugh at them, and certainly don’t tell them yourself. It is worse when people have the belief that men are better than women.
No simply means no: When someone says no to any kind of personal request–as is their prerogative–assume they mean no. Don’t try to interpret it into some other meaning but accept it at face value. Respect the rights and feelings of women. Many of them may never be able to say no to things they do not like for the fear victimization so once someone is able to say no, indeed it is no.
Communicate with respect: Everyone deserves to be treated with respect, and any communication should warrant a respectful tone. Treat others the way you would want to be treated, and don’t speak to someone in a way you wouldn’t want to be spoken to. Remember one good turn deserves another.
Don’t send compromising photos/videos: I cannot emphasize enough what a bad idea this is. It never has a good ending. Social media has made it worse with the many WhatsApp platforms, sharing of such suggestive videos/photos denigrates women and is very offensive. The platforms should be restricted to the purpose for which they were created.
No name calling: When women are passionate or angry, the last thing they want is to be spoken to in a derogatory way. Belittling language or attitude has no place in a professional setting–for men or women. Managing emotions is key for everyone especially at the workplace, desist from hysterical acts that express an ill feeling towards women.
If there are no women in your meetings, start asking why: Diversity is the best way to be creative. If you always have like-minded individuals you’re always going to have the same ideas and go down the same path. Start asking why there aren’t more women in your meetings, boards and executive suites. Gender inclusiveness is healthy and promotes innovation. It gives a voice and a sense of hope to women.
If you see misconduct, speak out: One of the worst things you can be guilty of is being a passive bystander. If you see something do something if you hear something say something. The consequences of being a bystander in your professional life could be a lawsuit against your organization and the worst part is that it can cause irreparable damage to the image of the business. Don’t settle for mediocre behaviours, raise the bar and protect the interest of your organization.
Consistently show appreciation: You might not be the best at remembering birthdays or service anniversaries, but there are other ways to show your appreciation. It’s about acknowledging the effort and recognizing hard work. Everyone wants to be appreciated, so make sure it’s done with qualifying details. Be specific and go public when you praise, and if you have to criticize make sure it’s done privately. Little effort by women must be noticed especially when they have been abused and not recognized for many years.
Support each other: The best kind of success happens when everyone supports one another regardless of gender or race. When everyone is working together toward the same vision, it will establish a unity where everyone achieves more and succeeds together.
Design effective policies: One means of preventing negative treatment for women is to design and implement policies that will protect the right and interest of women. Corporate culture must be built to support and push women up, once there are many women in decision-making positions, they can help address some of these challenges.
If we all treat people the way we would want to be treated, our workplaces and our lives would be better and productivity will increase – women will work at their optimal best. Treating people right ensures a sense of belonging and builds a happy working relationship, most importantly when workers spend many hours at work. It ensures efficiency and cohesion that is needed for business growth. Leadership must also demonstrate its support for women inclusion, they must be quick in addressing issues concerning women at the workplace by punishing people who abuse women. Zero tolerance for such attitudes will send the right signal to every employee and address chauvinistic behaviours against women.
Source: BrightAmpaduOkyere/LollyDaskal
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