The aim of this article is to present current data on career determinants and how women function in the labour market. Let us first look at the main aspects of women's perceptions in their professional roles.
Table of contents:
Negative stereotypes of women's professional work
The perception of the social world is based on numerous stereotypes that simplify and order the perceived image. A negative consequence of such simplifications is the risk of errors in the assessment of individuals or social groups. Stereotypes of the professional roles played by women and men can hinder or prevent individuals from achieving their professional goals. Current labour market data shows that most occupational stereotypes are unfavourable to women.
One of the opinions unfavourable to women concerns the origins of their success. In the social consciousness, the predominant belief is that a woman's success is usually due to: her physical attractiveness, a lucky coincidence or a close relationship with her boss. Men's achievements, on the other hand, are usually explained by their abilities or hard work. There is also a perception in our country that there is no need for women to work, as they have a source of income from their husbands. If, on the other hand, they do work, they may receive low wages. In contrast, World Bank data shows that many women are the sole or main breadwinners in their families.
It is also often believed that women do not actually want to work and that a career is not important to them. The results of the study testify to the multifaceted importance of work. In addition to the material aspect, factors relating to social functioning and self-development also play an important role.
It is also possible to come across the perception that women are not able to perform the function of a superior and that men do not want to work under their direction. In contrast, Polish studies show that women perform just as well as men in managerial positions and, in certain situations, their behavioural strategies are more constructive from the perspective of the interests of the work team. Indeed, women are more likely to choose compromise and cooperation strategies, while men are more likely to choose a competitive strategy.
Another misconception is related to the belief that there is no longer any professional discrimination against women today. It is a fact that the professional situation of women in Poland has improved in recent decades, but there is still a pay gap to the disadvantage of women. Relatively few women hold managerial positions, even in feminised professions.
Barriers to women's professional careers
Based on the analysis of the professional situation of women, a number of barriers to career progression are described.
The most important of these are presented below:
- Work-family conflict. It is related to the necessity of combining domestic responsibilities, which are traditionally assigned more to women than to men, with professional duties. There is often a sense of frustration related to the perception that neither role is given enough time and commitment.
- Different social expectations. In our country, women and men are still being prepared in the socialisation process to perform mainly traditional roles. Women are mainly expected to take on family roles, often giving up their own aspirations to help their spouse in his or her professional career. Men, on the other hand, are expected to achieve professional success.
- Glass ceiling. This phenomenon involves the existence of barriers to promotion and holding managerial positions. In Poland, women are in a distinct minority among top managers and politicians.
- Glass escalator. This term describes the barriers to advancement for women even in feminised industries. There is a perception that men should not work in women's professions, and that such work is only justified if they are in managerial positions. This is why, even in professions with a female majority, managerial positions are very often held by men.
- Exclusion from informal networks. Both in politics and among the various professions, there are informal groups, arrangements. It is often the case that women do not participate in informal meetings due to, among other things, the burden of domestic responsibilities. The possibility to get promoted, on the other hand, is linked not only to substantive correctness but also to informal relationships.
- Internal barriers. These are related to self-esteem, which is the set of information an individual has about himself/herself. Self-related information occupies a special place in the subject's overall cognitive system. People have extensive knowledge about themselves, their own abilities, aspirations, intelligence or appearance. Positive self-images play an important role, as they facilitate the mobilisation of resources when faced with difficulties. Researchers generally agree that self-esteem is important for the overall functioning of an individual. High self-esteem generates positive emotions, allows one to feel like a valuable member of society and encourages taking on challenges. People with low self-esteem tend to miss out on opportunities to succeed, despite having the right aptitude to do so. On the other hand, research shows that a lack of confidence in oneself, one's skills and abilities is more common among women than men.
Thus, we can see that the functioning of women on the labour market is related to the influence of many different factors. Social awareness of the existence of barriers and limitations in the professional sphere may facilitate their recognition and motivation for their elimination.