Empowering Women, isn’t it something that we hear all the time. Newspapers, Media, Politicians they all talk about it on daily basis. What should I write here that has never been written before, what trivia should I unleash here which people are still unaware of, after hours of playing charade I found out there is nothing new. It is the same old yet powerful concept. We don’t need miracles for Women Empowerment we just need everyone to understand and accept the radical notion that women are human.
You must be thinking another long preaching post about women empowerment. Let me tell you it isn’t what you are thinking it to be. I intend to target every individual through this post. You could be a boss, you could be a manager, you could be a mentor or you could be a homemaker but you need to understand that you all can make a difference by just doing a small bit.
Workplace is the arena where women needs the maximum empowerment. Often the talent and hard work done by a women go unnoticed because she chooses to focus on her work not on her cajoling skills. A women who does her job efficiently in the given time doesn’t get the due credit because she isn’t staying late in office like the other so called hard working men in the team. I want to tell all the bosses out there that staying late doesn’t mean that you work hard it simply means you are inefficient to manage your work in the stipulated time. Just because the females in your team don’t smoke and don’t accompany you to the smoking zone, they should not bear the brunt of making a choice for themselves during the appreciation cycles.Your interpersonal relationship with your men colleagues should not cloud your judgement while deciding the promotions in your team. Don’t mix business with pleasure.
Women coming back to work from maternity leaves are seen as rusted. I have often heard discussions like “don’t take her in the team she has not been in touch with the technology since long as she was on a maternity leave”. How fair is it to judge and punish a women for exercising the power of making a life? She wasn’t partying or having fun somewhere she was going through the toughest time of her life. Coming back to work after giving birth to a child demands great amount of dedication and love for what you do. It isn’t easy to leave your kid back at home and go to work. If there is one such member in your team you should know that she is the one who loves her job the most and would push herself to any limits to achieve targets for you. If you are shocked to know that something like this actually happens at a workplace then you would be flabbergasted to hear what I am going to share next.
Safety of a women employee is a big concern, for the organization as well as for the bosses. Often female employees are not even considered for a post because extra arrangements and funds have to be allocated for their safety. Isn’t that strange. Her talent and skills goes for a toss because of her vulnerability. What they fail to understand is that it is not her fault and hence she shouldn’t suffer. I wouldn’t like to be rejected just based on my sex. Your choice should be made on the basis of the skills not on the sexuality.
There are innumerable social stigmas attached with women employees which will only vanish with a collective effort. There is no magic wand which will run a thought process change program and everything will be in order and organised. We all have to contribute. Being a working professional I feel that the right environment in the workplace can contribute to women empowerment in the most powerful and profound way. With a little change in your ideology you can help in churning out the finest female leaders of the world. I will not lecture on what those changes should be. If you could relate to all the scenarios that I have mentioned before you know what is the best way to annihilate these social stigmas.
This post is written as a part of “Women in Leadership” contest organized by shethepeople.tv. You can find the details here.
At work a woman has to prove that she is as professional as male counterparts if not more, at home a woman has to prove (to the extended family) that she is as homely as any other lady (let’s say her mom). This delicate act of balancing, at times, takes its toll.
Totally true.
Very well written Ruby!
Thank you Archana for taking out time to read this long post.
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Thank you so much for considering me worthy enough for your list. I feel so elated to see my blog’s name in the list. Thank you for the patient read of the blog. Keep reading and keep blogging !
Nice post – sad that this is still true today when so many women are in the workforce. Sometimes women can be just as cruel to women returning to the workforce after giving birth to a baby. I think those women are the strongest because it takes a lot of power and discipline to leave your infant at four weeks, six weeks or even a year. Looking forward to reading more of your posts. Love and Light!