There is talk and much noise about the shattering of glass ceilings. Instances are cited of women who are achieving success in the career, and reigning in top positions in major corporations and government offices. Indra Nooyi, Chanda Kochhar, Shikha Sharma and many other names are cited to prove that work places now really offer equal opportunities and equal treatment to both genders. But is this the case? We speak to the daily Janes, and find out what they feel about gender equality at their work places.
Varsha Joshi, a teacher by profession, says that, “While these days most workplaces offer equal chances, there are still some places that require leading large teams that prefer men. Especially work that requires on site supervision like architecture, women are taken seriously.”
While Varsha and women like her may feel that it is about occupational differences, some women feel that there are domestic constraints on women, whatever occupation you choose.
Poonam Madkaiker, a doctor, feels that women cannot travel overnight or attend out station seminars for work. She feels that men can pack their bags and travel wherever they want, but women need to take permissions at home, and see to their safety before then can travel.
Poonam speaks about travelling out of the city, but some girls feel unsafe even within the city if they have to travel late for work.
Prachi Jadhav, a social media executive, feels that the safety issues stifles her work. She says, “whenever I stay late for work, I need a colleague to drop me home. Even if I have better ideas and suggestions for a project, often I have to exit the meeting or brainstorming session if a male colleague cannot drop me home. It is not fair that I cannot work because the society is not made safe for me.”
Hetvi Sethia, a singer, also feels that she has to think twice before taking up offers for her performance if the programme is scheduled too late. “I am a ghazal singer, and most programmers happen in the late evening. Even if I take Ola or Uber back home, I need a male company to drop me back. Whereas other male singers get better chances at networking after the show is over, I have to rush back home.”
And there are also some women who feel heightened occupational hazards because of their gender.
Janice Rodrigues, a journalist, feels that time management is a major concern for women. They have to multitask and cannot focus only on work like men. “In the instance of crime reporting, even if it is a great opportunity, I have to pass it to a male colleague.”
But there are some women who feel that they are equal, if not better, at work than men. Kiran Chari, an entrepreneur, feels that women are better at multi-tasking, listening and empathy. “Women work with teams better. So, even if there are superficial differences and biases, ultimately, women perform better at work. This improves their chances.”
Like Kiran, there are also other women who feel that their strengths make them better professionals.
Lily Deo, a doctor, says, “In fact, now there are some professions that are friendlier towards women. For instance, instinctively, you trust a women doctor more than a male doctor. So, women have started using their strengths to their benefits to get ahead in their careers.”
As these women speak their minds about their work situations, they reflect a microcosm of the social realities. While work places might try to get fair about gender equality, the social environment needs to be made safer, for women to actually benefit from work place equality.
Read Also: 3 Important Lessons For Women To Succeed
