Professional women have overcome enormous obstacles in the business sector in recent decades, moving to high leadership positions despite the odds being stacked against them. Nonetheless, persistent impediments frequently delay and block their success. Sexism, whether subtle or overt, limits professional women. Sexual harassment, unequal work settings, and subtler kinds of sexism place a significant burden on professional women pursuing their dreams. When professional women are often stopped or mistaken for administrative assistance at board meetings, for example, it takes a mental toll that can stymie their growth.
Deeply rooted attitudes and biases against women prevent professional women from receiving the respect they deserve and from advancing in their careers. The social institutions that favour men over women have yet to be completely dismantled in the United States. As a result, professional women must battle wrong assertions and preconceptions about their abilities and leadership capacity.
In this article, we will discuss the key reasons why women are still not regarded suitable for leadership jobs, even in modern times.
Gender Bias and Stereotypes
Gender prejudices and stereotyping operate against professional women’s aspirations for leadership. Employers typically regard men’s assertive behaviour in the workplace as strong, demanding, and direct, however when women exhibit the same assertiveness, their employers frequently perceive them as confrontational, loud, and strident. If a female professional’s behaviour deviates from gender expectations, she frequently encounters blowback. However, if her behaviour conforms to traditional gender stereotypes, such as being accommodating or putting others’ needs before of their own, she may come appear as less competitive than her male peers.
Women are not made a part of social networks
Social events, both traditional and informal, such as sports or fun activities, frequently exclude professional women, not just because women would not participate, but because males do not invite them. As a result, professional women miss out on opportunities to develop the rapport and relationships necessary for job growth. Professional women frequently lose access to established channels in which professional males frequently participate. This makes women feel like outsiders and makes it difficult for them to connect, join, and identify themselves as peers with their male colleagues and employers.
Liable to fulfil family responsibilities
Balancing work and family life can be difficult for professional women. Their capacity to pursue leadership roles may be hampered by family obligations. This is because, although working full-time, they frequently shoulder the majority of domestic chores, such as caring for children, sick, or elderly family members. Although professional women with children at home spend more time on household chores than fathers, they may not always have access to paid family leave or job flexibility. This disparity has an impact on professional women’s progress and income because it may need personal sacrifices.