Gender Discrimination in Organizations

This assignment delves into the complexities of gender discrimination in workplaces globally, highlighting various laws and regulations aimed at resolving this issue. It provides a comprehensive overview of existing research papers and case studies related to this topic, including discussions on equal pay acts, compensation acts, and remuneration acts. The analysis focuses on different countries, such as the UK and Ghana, offering insights into their approaches towards gender discrimination. Additionally, it touches upon other forms of discrimination like racial and sexual orientation-based issues in workplaces.

Gender discrimination and
inequality on organisational
boards: a comparison
between Ghana and the UK

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Main Body ......................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................8
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

Topic: Gender discrimination and inequality on organisational boards: a comparison between
Ghana and the UK.
INTRODUCTION
Workplace diversity is major term that implies to variety of difference among the
individuals within an organisation. Diversity at workplace encompasses race, gender, age,
religion, citizen ship, ethnic groups, Sexual orientation, mental and physical conditions as well as
other distinct differences between people (Morley, 2013). Present essay will provide
understanding about the gender discrimination and inequality on the organisational boards along
with the comparison between Ghana and UK. The aim of this essay to explore impact of gender
discrimination on organisation on the basis of comparison between two countries. Along with
this, assessment of influence of this problem on existing work culture of organisation is also
discussed along with policies and practices that needs to be applied for management of diversity
at workplace.
Main Body
Concept of gender discrimination and inequality in organisation.
Gender discrimination implies to unequal treatment of individuals within organisation on
the basis of their basis of their sex. It is a kind of difference which is created by some employers
and top level manager in organisation on the basis of gender of person. Further, this kind of
discrimination in employment involves treatment someone unfavourably because of person's sex
whether they are applying for the job or existing employee. Usually female employees in
organisation have been treated unequally and differently than male in their career, education,
economic advancement and political influences (Blau, 2016). This is a major problem of
discrimination which is happening across the world and even in developed nations. The root
cause of gender discrimination is identified as culture and backgrounds of people. Moreover,
discrimination of people on organisation boards have been considered as unequal distribution of
authorities and responsibilities by employers or management on the basis of gender. Despite of
the best efforts of organisation's management towards promotion of diversity and equality,
female employees still dominate the lower paying administrative levels ranks while male
continue to dominate at executive level. This distinction between authorities and position is also
provided influence on the corporate performance. Management of diversity at workplace is a
1

essential responsibility of human resource's department in organisation. They need to ensure that
no employee must be discriminated from getting opportunities of participation in decision
making at boards. As per law, discrimination or unequal treatment of women working at any
level in organisation is illegal. Equal rights and opportunities for employment, training and
development, increment, promotion, job enrichment and decision making must be provided to
individuals without making any difference.
Inequality on organisational boards is also classified as unequal delegation of authorities
by employers to individuals for participation in development of strategies, representation of
organisation in meetings and providing suggestion. In UK, there are various organisation which
are following this culture in which women are treated unequally when it is matters of admissions,
recruitments, financial aid, grading, housing, class room assignment, vocational education and
discipline (Cortina and et.al., 2013). Further, women in various business enterprise are deprived
of their rights and often harassed by co workers. Inequality among individuals can also found in
organisation for male employees in some organisation due to difference in culture, education,
nationality, colour and religion etc. For example: Higher positions in organisational hierarchy
have been provided to white male employees in US and black people who belongs to other
countries have been provided lower position in hierarchy. In many workplaces, there are many
situations where male and female employees performs similar responsibilities and they possess
same education too but they are still employers don't provide equal compensation and benefits to
women. This difference is merely because of gender inequality.
Research in UK and other countries indicate that the reason for low number of female
employees in decision making position in business can be found at three level such as individual,
organisation and social (Kakabadse and et.al., 2015). At individual level, the main causes are
associated with a lack of suitable experience and competencies among women, their lower level
of ambitions , self confidence, large number of obligations outside the working environment and
fewer management skills. Many researchers have identified in the past three decades, women
have also importantly increased their human capital and also achieved experience of top level
management but it has not raised their presence in senior business positions.
impact of gender discrimination and inequality on organisational boards
2

Promotion of diversity has provided positive influence on the business as it tends to
promote innovation and creativity at workplace. While for organisation in UK and Ghana,
having diverse culture creates major problem of gender discrimination and inequality between
employees. There are various problems have been faced by countries and organisations due to
this major problems. At top level, individuals posses essential roles and responsibilities of
conducting research, analysis of present situation, setting objectives, development of strategies
and plans, implementation and monitoring progress (Wells and et.al, 2012). These task requires
essential and experience that needs to be achieved by individuals working at top level. Increase
in requirement of competencies for organisation has created discrimination for women as they
are treatment as competent in comparison to male for senior management position which affects
the image of organisation in market. Further, delegation of authority by taking gender as basis of
comparison creates dissatisfaction among employees and it will to decrease their quality of
performance at workplace.
It is essential for employers in organisation to provide responsibilities on the basis of
performance rather than gender because it provides impact on performance of organisation and
creates problems to sustain in competitive business environment (Berry and Bell, 2012).
Companies succeed or fail on the level of innovation, talent and engagement of their employees.
For getting innovative ideas, it is essential for management to provide equal opportunities to
individuals working at managerial position for participation in decision making. Unequal
distribution of authorities and responsibilities between individuals often creates conflicts and
depletion of relationship between employees and management. Increase in gender discrimination
tends to decrease motivation of female employees towards increasing the quality of performance
at workplace.
In some situations, favouritism is also found in some organisation where employers
provide more recognition to female employees and also provides them authorities of making
decisions. Favouritism in organisation at board level increases various responsibilities to create
major responsibilities and authorities that needs to be achieved by management. For example :
Although women are allowed to participate in the military, but they are not yet allowed in front
line comeback in countries like UK, Slovakia and Turkey.
3

Apart from this, Inequality in distribution of key roles and responsibilities between individuals
by taking gender, race, culture and nationality as basis for comparison often tends creates
increase in turnover of qualified employees at workplace. Employees tends to achieve
satisfaction when they get recognition and rewards from employer at workplace. Unequal
distribution of rewards and recognition between employees often creates major effect on
employee relations at workplace (Stainback and Kwon, 2012). Moreover, gender discrimination
and inequality also creates impact on productivity of organization and reduce capabilities to
succeed in competitive environment as it will not get effective participation of employees in
formulation of effective business strategies and achievement of objectives. The common form of
gender difference is the wag gap between male and females and it exists in even developed
countries. In UK, they usually get 77% percent of what men are earning and this income comes
from the same job or amount of work.
From strategic business perspective, female employees at senior management position
also have capabilities to take correct decision that will increase the market share and profitability
of organisation. They are also considered key performers as they make continuous efforts
towards increasing business strength and financial position but if they are not provided chance of
economic growth then organisation will tend hurdles for themselves towards growth.
As per equality act, those business enterprises which are making any inequality between
employees on basis age, race, gender and nationality etc. will have to face legal restrictions and
problems in regulating business operations.
Comparison between Ghana and UK related to increase in gender discrimination at
workplace.
Increasing in economic development of countries has changed the life style of people but
it has not changed the culture which are usually followed by people in countries. People in
development countries also have those individuals which provide more important to male rather
than female. Although men and considered as equal under law but it is identified women still
face discrimination within well established business enterprises in remote areas like Ghana.
Moreover, well defined genders roles exist in women are expected to perform job at wage rates
which limits their independence in participation at board level (Williams, Kilanski and Muller,
2014). Traditionally in Ghana education is considered as secondary for females. In Ghana, 50%
4

women are identified as illiterate as compared to men around 28%. Various researchers have
investigated that gender discrimination among international organisation have achieved growth
as employers in organisation usually women as incompetent in decision making. Employees
from diversified backgrounds imbue business enterprises with new ideas and perspectives
informed by their cultural experiences (Foynes, Shipherd and Harrington, 2013). A diverse
culture workplace will also assist the organisation in getting better understanding about target
demographics. In Ghana, inequality of among employees at managerial level have been
identified at high level just because employees are not provided equal opportunities. At
managerial level, Women are not provided equal opportunities to attain economic advancement
and participation in development of strategic business objectives and plans. Further, this major
discrimination has creates major problems towards and development of organisations in market.
After analysis, government has made various efforts for promotion of equality in employment for
women in organization. There are various steps like increase in employment opportunities for
women, improvement of employment conditions, equal payment act etc. Government has also
formulated laws for improvement of employment conditions, access and quality of jobs to ensure
that women and men will be able to maximize their productivity, earning a living wage and also
have social protection to benefits.
In comparison to Ghana, UK has achieved high position in gender discrimination in last three
decades as they have not provided major emphasis on the workplace discrimination which is
faced by employees at workplace (MacKinnon, 2018). This major discrimination of organisation
between their employees have provided major impact on economic and social conditions. It has
also led to decrease in number of female workers in organisation at senior management
positions. This major problem has also hampered employees relations between enterprise and
their employees. In order to promote equality, legislation have been developed by government in
UK with regard to gender equality issues and principally concerned with rights of female,
employment and provision of goods and services. Equal payment act 1970 provides female
workers in UK, right to get similar payments and benefits like male and would also except to
receive in the same or related employment. Sex discrimination act 1975 also prohibits direct and
indirect discrimination against the individuals in the areas of employment, education and
authorities at senior management. Socialization in Ghana is has provided its major important of
5

gender discrimination as people in society are living with the traditional and their local cultural
ideology which they also apply in their professionals. Whereas people in UK are not so rigid
adopt their culture with an to reflect the positive background. Government has also provided
major support to women so that they also achieve equal benefits.
Ethnocentric has been identified in the culture of Ghana where people in the judge the another
culture solely by the values and standards of one's won culture. In UK, people are not identified
as Ethnocentric as they have provided more important to equality but they tends to make
discrimination on the basis of colour
Increase in major opportunities of organisation have also raised the measures to improve
the ways of increasing the organisation responsibilities. Various laws related to benefits ,
rewards and recognition have been developed by organisation related to employment and
increase in business opportunities at workplace.
Assessing influence of gender discrimination on work culture within organisation
There is a high degree of influence of gender discrimination on work culture of the
organization. It can be stated that discrimination is treating people unfairly based upon their sex .
It does not result in creating appropriate and effective and positive working environment for
people. Having gender discrimination at the workplace results in diminished level of job
satisfaction among the employees (Gap, 2015). Greater job satisfaction generally comes along
with opportunity to learn new skills, have adequate control over working conditions with respect
to choosing work projects, etc. when gender discrimination tends to take place at the work place,
people are discriminated and they never reach to the level they want to be at. It results in lower
satisfaction and high rate of job switch from one organization to the other. When women say that
they are being discriminated at the workplace, they are more likely to switch company and opt
for the one with better work culture. Constant switch of employees makes the cycle of turnover
quite high which ultimately leads to higher cost and lower satisfaction level. The residual effect
of the same is that when high turnover among women takes place in the organization, it leads to
even fewer women at the workplace. Women remain underrepresented and men tend to dominate
the culture of the company (Dipboye and Colella, 2013).
6

Gender discrimination also leads to low motivation and reduced performance from the
side of employees as they tend to build the tendency of withdrawing their interest from the
organization. Their overall morale working with the organization gets down and they do not feel
to be treated equal and empowered. It also affects their performance and productivity level in
such manner that their morale of working in the discriminated conditions becomes low. It has
stronger impact on overall culture of working in the organization. Being discriminated resulting
in cropping up of stress at the floor which results in mental as well as physical distress to the
employees. It tends to take place when female employees are not promoted or given rise in their
salary. It can be the result of workplace gender discrimination (Ozeren, 2014).
When gender discrimination takes place in the organization, the overall culture of the
organization may tend to be less attentive towards sexual harassment. In such situation, the
victims of sexual harassment are less likely to come forward with the complaints rather than in
the situation when both the genders are being embraced equally. It is due to the reason that they
think that their experience of sexual harassment will not be considered and no steps will be taken
for them due to prevailing gender discrimination in the work atmosphere of the organization and
hence, it will not be taken seriously.
It becomes important for the organization to have gender equality in organizational
structures, processes and practices for better results and establishment of both the genders at the
workplace. It helps in creating effective work culture among the employees with higher retention
ratio.
Recommendation of Policies and practices for management of workplace diversity.
It becomes important to initiate the policies and procedures that can help in supporting
diverse workforce. It generates the requirement of adoption of best human resource practices that
ca help in promoting the existence of diverse workforce. Continuous monitoring that whether the
adopted practices are fair or not can also help in better implementation of anti-discriminatory
practices at the work place (MacKinnon, 2018).
Training is one such method that can be adopted by the organization that can help in
ascertaining the requirements and make people aware of people with different backgrounds and
gender. The legal implication of discrimination is also required to be initiated by the organization
7

in such a manner that it is not adopted by any of the department of the company. Teaching
employees that how to work together and how to gather the benefits of each other’s experience
can also help in reducing the workplace gender discrimination to the minimum.
In order to maintain anti gender discrimination policies in the organization, it is important
for the rules and regulations to make it illegal (Bruckmüller and et.al., 2013). Hence, hiring
process must be free from any type of gender biasness. Hiring policies should be created in such
a manner that employees are hired based upon experience and knowledge possessed by them
rather than any type of gender the carry. Human resources must opt of transferring resumes to
departmental head without any name or gender. It helps in taking appropriate decision without
considering any type of irrelevant ground.
Another important role is played by the management where, the team can have the set of
policies that can initiate inclusion at the workplace. Managers are held responsible for any type
of discriminatory policies going on in the organization. Hence, having the management team
with equal genders can help in eliminating any type of discrimination during promotions. Input
regarding the same can be asked from the employees in the form of feedbacks. It also helps in
ascertaining that where the employees are satisfied with the overall practices of the organization
or not. Human resource managers and personnel can opt for investigating the flaws and based
upon which new and innovative policies with respect to anti gender discrimination can be
initiated by them. Hence, it becomes important to stay in touch with the employees for framing
effective policies and procedures (Foynes, Shipherd and Harrington, 2013).
Discrimination and harassment is an unacceptable behaviour which conflicts with the
civilian rights of equal opportunities to all. It becomes important for the management to take
appropriate steps that can help in reducing its prevalence to the minimum. Hence, in such cases,
internal procedure of the management must be strong enough. A board can be initiated by them
so as to deal with the emerging complaints emerging in different departments. It must be ensured
that the cases of discrimination harassment at the workplace are resolved in a confidential
manner so that its emergence in future can be prevented.
CONCLUSION
In this report, it is concluded that management of diversified workforce in organization is
crucial task that needs to be performed by managers and enable to perform their task at
8

workplace. Gender discrimination implies to unequal treatment of individuals within
organisation on the basis of their basis of their sex. It is a kind of difference which is created by
some employers and top-level manager in organisation on the basis of gender of person. UK is
facing high problem of genders discrimination as compared to Ghana. There are various laws
and regulations like equal payment act, compensation act and remuneration act etc. to resolve
this problem.
9

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Cortina, L.M., Kabat-Farr, D., Leskinen, E.A., Huerta, M. and Magley, V.J., 2013. Selective
incivility as modern discrimination in organizations: Evidence and impact. Journal of
Management, 39(6), pp.1579-1605.
Morley, L., 2013. The rules of the game: Women and the leaderist turn in higher education.
Gender and education, 25(1), pp.116-131.
Berry, D. and Bell, M.P., 2012. Inequality in organizations: stereotyping, discrimination, and
labor law exclusions. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 31(3),
pp.236-248.
Blau, F.D., 2016. Gender, inequality, and wages. OUP Catalogue.
Bruckmüller, S. and et.al., 2013. Ceilings, Cliffs, and Labyrinths: Exploring Metaphors
forWorkplace Gender Discrimination. The SAGE handbook of gender and psychology,
p.450.
Dipboye, R. L. and Colella, A. eds., 2013. Discrimination at work: The psychological and
organizational bases. Psychology Press.
Foynes, M. M., Shipherd, J. C. and Harrington, E. F., 2013. Race and gender discrimination in
the Marines. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology. 19(1). p.111
Gap, G. W., Gender Discrimination in the Work Place.
Kakabadse, N.K., Figueira, C., Nicolopoulou, K., Hong Yang, J., Kakabadse, A.P. and Özbilgin,
M.F., 2015. Gender diversity and board performance: Women's experiences and
perspectives. Human Resource Management, 54(2), pp.265-281.
MacKinnon, C. A., 2018. Difference and Dominance: On Sex Discrimination [1984].
In Feminist legal theory (pp. 81-94). Routledge.
Ozeren, E., 2014. Sexual orientation discrimination in the workplace: A systematic review of
literature. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. 109. pp.1203-1215.
10