Contemporary Employment Issues: Apple Inc. Gender Inequality

This report delves into the contemporary workplace issue of gender inequality at Apple Inc., highlighting the underrepresentation of women in the company's workforce, as evidenced by the 2017 diversity report. It analyzes the problem, discussing the historical roots of gender imbalance and the impact of gender stereotypes in the tech industry. The report proposes an organizational policy designed to promote gender equality, outlining its purpose, scope, and specific areas of focus, including leadership opportunities, policy formulation, organizational structure, performance monitoring, and program design. The policy statement emphasizes Apple Inc.'s commitment to gender mainstreaming and creating an inclusive work environment. The report concludes by emphasizing the importance of addressing gender inequality to achieve the long-term objectives of growth and sustainability, ensuring equal rights, opportunities, and representation for all employees.

Contemporary employment issues

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Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Background of the contemporary workplace issue....................................................................2
Analysis of problem...................................................................................................................4
Purpose of policy........................................................................................................................5
Scope of the policy.....................................................................................................................6
Policy statement.........................................................................................................................8
Activities....................................................................................................................................9
Accountability..........................................................................................................................11
Conclusion................................................................................................................................11
References................................................................................................................................12
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Introduction
This assessment is compiled to analyze the contemporary workplace issue of diversity and
inclusion at Apple Inc by highlighting gender inequality at their workplace. It also presents
an organizational policy for the company compliant with the relevant employment relation
legislation that can be implemented in the workplace to address this issue of gender
inequality by providing activities that need to be carried out to minimize this basis for
discrimination. The detailed policy document begins with providing the background of the
issue and its analysis in the contemporary world. It provides the purpose of designing the
policy and its scope along with the policy statement and the activities to be carried out for the
fulfilment of the objectives of this policy. The document ends with providing the details
about the accountability for the application of this policy at Apple Inc.
Background of the contemporary workplace issue
Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company that is involved with the
development, designing and selling of consumer electronics, online services and computer
software. It is headquartered in Cupertino, California (O’Brien, 2017). Apple Inc. is
struggling with gender inequality and women are highly underrepresented in the company.
According to the diversity report published by the organization in the year 2017, only 32% of
the total workforce of the company were women (Apple Inc., 2019). The ongoing
investigation of employment practices of the technology giant finds a systematic disparity
between the compensation awarded to men and women at the workplace. It is found that most
of the organizations throughout the world under hire and underpay the women while putting
on a show of promotion of gender equality. However, this is the sad reality that women are
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not paid equally and fairly as compared to men while doing the same amount of work
(Bourke & Dillon, 2018).
The above graphs represent the percentage of women at Apple Inc who are under 30 years
old and also the percentage of new hires. While the former has improved by 2% for the year
2018, the latter percentage has only improved by 1%. For the year 2018, the organization
believes that the overall representation of women in the workplace has improved by 1% but
there is still a huge difference between the percentage of men and women comprising of the
workforce at Apple Inc.
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Analysis of the problem
There is a need for discussion and awareness about the options of gender balance in the
workplaces throughout the world and especially so in the leadership. The women are
deprived of their treatment and equal pay at work as highlighted by numerous studies
conducted worldwide. There is an ongoing Battle against gender inequality at the places of
work as it has become important to assess the areas that require improvement to ensure that
men and women contribute equally and are compensated equally (Fujitsu Group, 2017). The
history of gender imbalance goes back two centuries of discrimination against women. This is
even more evident in industries like manufacturing and technology. Traditionally because of
the limited opportunities for education and employment, there were always more male
applicants for job roles with increase the chances of men getting fired and also getting
promoted to senior roles. Although things have changed for better now with more women
getting graduated and getting the degrees, they still find it difficult to enter the position of
senior leadership at the workplaces at continuous to be a male dominant space. Most of the
men find their career path to be predetermined with the senior managers showing them the
way. On the contrary, we have to compete with their male colleagues with no person
advocating for them and the lack of good female leaders setting an example at the workplace
makes this even more difficult (WorldBank, 2017).
Men are generally considered to be more assertive as compared to women and the gender
stereotypes perceive women to be more sensitive and more focused towards the family needs
as compared to placing a priority on opportunities of progress at the workplace. These
stereotypes and generalizations have a significant influence on how women are treated at the
workplace. Therefore, it has become important to fix gender inequality and the problem and
underrepresentation of women by ensuring that there are enough women at the leadership
roles. These affirmative actions will help in bringing results at the organization throughout
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the world and will also have a long term impact by bringing about a sustainable change
throughout the world. But before this, it is important for the organizations and their
management to realize why it is important to have gender equality and the workplaces so that
they are all committed to fighting against discrimination and creating a work environment
where every individual has equal rights and opportunities to lead and thrive in the
organization (Jankowska-Eriksson & Zahidi, 2017).
Purpose of the policy
Apple Inc has to address the pressing need of gender equality at the workplace so that the
responsibilities and opportunities are awarded to the people on the basis of their capabilities
and not on the basis of their gender. Gender equality requires treating both men and women
fairly and considering them equals when it comes to giving opportunities, responsibilities,
benefits, obligations and rights. It is time that the organization realizes the importance of
providing equal workplace opportunities since the women throughout the world are holding
about 57% of bachelor degrees. The policy at Apple Inc targeted towards addressing gender
inequality will ensure that all people are treated with fairness and the gap between reality and
gender bias is also taken care of. The discrimination against women does not just affect the
individuals but it also has a negative impact on the economy. There is a clear imbalance of
power distribution at the organization between men and women at Apple Inc. If the
organization plans to grow and develop sustainability, it needs to provide equal opportunities
for employment to all the people regardless of their gender (Powell & Chang, 2016).
The policy targeted towards gender equality at Apple Inc will ensure that the men and women
at workplace enjoy the same status and are also provided equal opportunities so that they are
able to realize their full potential and enjoy their Human Rights while contributing to the
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growth and development of the company. It will help in increasing the correct percentage of
participation of women and will also put them in the leadership position as the decision
makers of Apple Inc. Another purpose of the policy promoting gender equality and gender
equity at Apple Inc will provide the necessary support to the girls and women in the
organization to ensure that they realize their full human rights and are provided with the
opportunities to grow and excel as a part of the company (Samans & Zahidi, 2017). The
policy addressing gender inequality will allow Apple Inc to identify the gaps in the current
practices and gain access and control over the resources of the company so that they can take
corrective measures and affirmative action to reduce the practice of gender bias and provide
the organization with the benefits of development in the long run.
Scope of the policy
The five specific areas addressing the policy measures to be adopted for promoting gender
equality at Apple Inc are:
 Leadership opportunities
 Policy formulation process
 Designing organizational structure
 Performance monitoring and evaluation
 Designing project and programs
The leadership aspect of the gender equality policy at Apple Inc will encourage and actively
promote the development of an organizational culture that is more aware and responsive to
gender inequality. It will lead to encouraging people to develop a culture that promotes
gender equality in the workplace that is free from any stereotypes and gender bias
perpetuating inequality at Apple Inc. The leadership aspect of gender equality policy will also
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ensure that the organization has sufficient resources committed towards the process of gender
mainstreaming and the strategic decision making of the organization is carried out by
constantly monitoring and evaluating agenda performance of the company (Schwab, 2018).
The policy formulation process at Apple Inc will require strategic planning that reflects the
equality commitment organization and will ensure that the process of forming policies takes
into consideration the capacity and concerns of both men and women and the likely impact
that the policy is going to have on the phenomena of gender equality in the organization. The
organizational structure of Apple Inc will also be influenced by the gender equality policy as
it will become mandatory for the organization to adopt the practices and procedures that help
in creating a gender-sensitive culture at the organization. The effective designing of the
organizational structure in a way that ensures non-discrimination at the workplace and also
provides equality when awarding opportunities to both men and women belonging to all
levels and Apple Inc will help in promoting gender equality and supporting this policy at the
company.
Apple Inc also needs to improve the process of performance monitoring and evaluation by
focusing on the outputs that promote gender equality and by integrating the processes of
monitoring and reporting that disaggregate the data classified on the basis of gender,
ethnicity, sexuality, age or any other relevant markers used by the industry or the
organization (Bailey, 2018). Apple Inc will promote knowledge generation and dissemination
at the workplace where the best practices are exchanged across the various functions,
divisions and unit of the company and also from any of the external sources without getting
influenced by the gender bias to ensure the progress of the entire organization towards gender
equality. The scope of the gender equality policy of Apple Inc will also cover the process of
planning, designing and implementation of the projects and programs of the company. The
organization needs to adopt the strategies that are targeted towards empowering the women
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and ensuring equal participation of men and women at the workplace. It is also important that
the organization ensure proper reflection of their commitment towards gender equality by
taking into consideration the needs and expectations of both men and women who are a part
of the company when designing the projects and programs.
Policy statement
The policy targeted towards addressing the issue of gender inequality at Apple Inc will allow
the organization to establish leadership in the process of gender mainstreaming and
promoting gender equality within the organization and throughout the world. This will help in
tackling the issues of the lack of women leadership and representation at Apple Inc. and
practising gender responsive policymaking creating a workplace that provides equal rights to
men and women. The implementation of gender equality policy at Apple Inc will allow the
leadership of the company to take proactive steps by committing to gender equality and by
providing a clear mandate that helps in mainstreaming the gender of the employees at the
workplace (United Nations, 2015).
Apple Inc needs to believe that gender equality is Central to the achievement of the long term
objectives of growth and sustainability for the organization. The gender equality policy will
ensure the development of an inclusive and peaceful work environment that is inclusive to
both men and women belonging to all background and age groups. Apple Inc will focus on
providing equal access to the rights and opportunities for both men and women and will also
work towards bridging the current gap in the representation of women in the organization.
The gender equality policy of Apple Inc will reinforce the commitment of the company buy
outlining their long term strategy and standards and will help in promoting gender equality in
all aspects of the organization in terms of the internal practices as well as their external
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practices and communication. The gender equality policy of Apple Inc will be supported by
the implementation plan that will help in the translation of the objectives of the policy into
reality with the help of the tools and instruments that will enable Apple Inc to achieve the
desired target and results of achieving gender equality throughout the organization (Ashcraft,
et al., 2016).
Activities
The activities designed as a part of the implementation of gender equality policy at Apple Inc
are:
 Setting up a dedicated unit
By setting up a dedicated unit working towards gender equality and Apple Inc, the
organization will be able to identify any of the current practices that are contributing to
gender inequality in the company and actions causing gender discrimination at the workplace.
 Appointing champs promoting gender equality
By appointing champs promoting gender equality throughout your organization across the
various units and departments, Apple Inc will empower the women and the girls were already
a part of the company by giving more strength to them and also empowering their thoughts
and ideas contributing to meaningful participation from the rest of the members as well
(Accenture, 2018).
 Building competency against gender bias
Apple Inc needs to enhance its commitment towards engaging the men at the workplace in its
initiative to promote gender equality. They will engage the men working for Apple Inc who
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are at the leadership positions to ensure that they bring about the necessary reforms and
changes promoting gender equality and overcoming any actions that contribute to gender-
based discrimination at Apple Inc.
 Incorporating gender in organizational planning and processes
The closely collaborated organizational planning and process definition targeted towards
promoting gender equality will help in facilitating equal treatment of men and women and
also encourage addressing the specific needs of the girls, women and other vulnerable groups
working for Apple Inc. This will be done by sensitizing the entire workforce about the
process and providing training to make them aware of the gender equality policy and
initiatives started by the organization (Ashcraft, et al., 2016).
 Carrying out measurement and evaluation
The organization needs to set goals and benchmarks for all their gender equality initiatives so
that the progress can be measured and the results shared across the organization and the
industry. This will help in the routine assessment of the transformation happening across the
organization and will also provide the necessary encouragement to the members informing
them of the progress.
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Accountability
Deirdre O'Brien is the Senior Vice President of Apple Inc responsible for people
management. She will act as the flag bearer of the gender equality initiative of the company
along with the CEO Tim Cook. The accountability for successful implementation of the
program lies with all the members of the organization however, the senior leaders of the
organization need to take charge to make sure that the rest of the workforce can be shown the
right direction and guided towards the right path. All the Senior Vice Presidents of the
company need to be held accountable for carrying out the activities that are a part of the
gender equality policy and provide feedback of the success or failure by conducting a regular
evaluation. The routine assessment of the progress towards gender equality at Apple Inc by
the top management will ensure successful implementation of the policy and also make sure
that the organization is able to achieve the desired results from it (Jankowska-Eriksson &
Zahidi, 2017).
Conclusion
In conclusion, it can be stated that the current state of gender inequality at Apple Inc. is
below average and your organization has a long way to go before they are able to achieve
gender equality in terms of representation and compensation at the organization. The
suggested gender equality policy for Apple Inc. addresses the specific areas of leadership
opportunities, the process of policy formulation, designing the organizational structure,
conducting regular monitoring and evaluation of the performance and progress and designing
programs and projects targeted towards promoting gender equality. Adopting this policy will
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allow Apple Inc to establish leadership in the process of gender mainstreaming and
promoting gender equality within the organization and throughout the world.
References
Accenture, 2018. Getting To Equal: How Digital is Helping Close the Gender Gap at Work,
Available at: https://www.accenture.com/_acnmedia/PDF-9/Accenture-Getting-To-Equal.pdf
Apple Inc. (2019) Different together: Apple Inc. diversity. [Online]
Available at: https://www.apple.com/diversity/
Ashcraft, C., McLain, B. & Eger, E. (2016) Women in tech: the fac ts2016 update // See
what’s changed and what hasn’t., Available at: http://www.ibtimes.com.au/leslie-wilson-
reece-australias-boss-forbes-billionaire-1449860
Bailey, M. (2018) 2018 Women in Tech:Unconscious Bias, Parity, and the Path Forward,
Available at: https://www.witi.com/IDC-2018-Women-in-Tech.pdf
Bourke, J. & Dillon, B. (2018) The diversity and inclusion revolution: Eight powerful truths,
Available at: https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/insights/us/articles/4209_Diversity-and-
inclusion-revolution/DI_Diversity-and-inclusion-revolution.pdf
Fujitsu Group. (2017) Shaping the gender balance of tomorrow: Gender pay gap business
case, Available at: https://www.fujitsu.com/uk/Images/Gender-Pay-Gap-Business-Case.pdf
Jankowska-Eriksson, A. & Zahidi, S. (2017) Accelerating Gender Parity in the Fourth
Industrial Revolution: An Agenda for Leaders to Shape the Future of Education, Gender and
Work, Available at:
http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_EGW_White_Paper_Gender_Parity_4IR.pdf
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O’Brien, D. (2017) Apple UK Gender Pay Gap Report, Available at:
https://www.apple.com/legal/more-resources/docs/uk-gender-pay-gap-report.pdf
Powell, C. & Chang , A. (2016) Women in Tech as aDriver for Growth in Emerging
Economies, Available at:
https://cfrd8-files.cfr.org/sites/default/files/pdf/2016/06/Discussion_Paper_Powell_Chang_W
omen_ICT_OR.pdf
Samans, R. & Zahidi, S. (2017) Accelerating gender parity: a toolkit, Available at:
http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Accelerating%20Gender%20Parity.pdf
Schwab, K. (2018) The Global Gender Gap Report 2018, Available at:
http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GGGR_2018.pdf
United Nations. (2015) Gender equality and empowerment of women through ICT, Available
at: https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/public/w2000-09.05-ict-e.pdf
WorldBank (2017) Promoting Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment, Available at:
http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTGLOMONREP2007/Resources/3413191-
1179404785559/Chp3-GMR07_webPDF-corrected-may-14-2007-6.pdf
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