Two phases are involved in the women's professional life. The first phase is about pursuing a career and the second is about combining work with family. Women must work long hours and often get punished for taking time out. Another barrier is the lack of equal opportunities. Working long hours makes it hard to maintain a balanced life.
Two phases are required for women's careers
The study's goal is to discover the nature and extent of women's work experiences throughout their lives. This research design incorporates interviews, life stories, and thematic analysis. It also uses codes for identifying the major factors that influence career decisions and attitudes. Study findings show that women's career experiences can be influenced by their work experience, career contexts, beliefs, and other personal factors. The researchers developed a three-phase, age-linked model for women's career development based on this data.
This is the most important phase for career advancement. The next phase is to move up to management. McKinsey research has shown that women often fall behind when it comes to advancing from the entry-level to management level. According to the Women in the Workplace Report 2021, about one third of the top-ranking management positions are held by women and only 41% hold engineering roles.
Long workweeks can be a drag on your ability to take time for yourself
A study has shown that more than four million Americans would prefer to work full time, but need to take leave for other reasons. This can include non-economic reasons, such as parenting, medical problems, or the need for additional education. It can lead to a loss of career or poor well-being for women, particularly if you have young children. This could result in a minimum 18 percent wage penalty.
Mangel of equal opportunity
Women report being denied equal opportunities in all aspects of their careers. The gap is different depending on race and the industry, but it's most evident in industries dominated primarily by men. This is true especially in the fields of energy, utilities and construction. Although men often attribute this disparity in pay to a belief system of meritocracy (which is what many people believe), it is more likely that women working in these areas feel differently. This difference in perceptions is one of the main reasons why women often leave high-paying industries.
There are many specific policies to address this issue. For a fair future, it is vital to create a narrative that includes all workers and values their skills and experience. Promoting gender equality through equal pay is key to reaching this goal.
There are challenges in combining family and work
Combining work and family is one of the biggest challenges women face today. It is difficult to balance your career and family life whether you are just starting out or an experienced professional. There are many options to help you strike the right balance between work and life.
Some workplaces are better for women than others. If she was able to combine work and family responsibilities, a mother might have sought out better-paid positions that offered flexibility and higher promotions. A woman who tries to have a career while also raising children might get backlash in today's society. If a man learns of her new career plans, he might react passive-aggressively and sarcastically.
Women need support networks
A women's professional network is a support group for women who wish to realize their career goals. The collective energy of women in these networks can be inspirational, and help women overcome obstacles. Women can also benefit from these networks for inspiration and information to help them in their chosen field.
A great example of a women's network is the Women's Chapter, a networking group in London. This group supports women in business and women-founded businesses. It hosts a variety of events for industry leaders as well as ordinary women. There are three levels of membership offered by the network. There is Community Membership as well as Business Membership and Corporate membership.