Being a woman is hard. Being a woman in a male dominated workplace is even harder.
There are many differences between men and women. Men have more facial hair, broader bodies, larger feet and somehow seem to get paid more than women. Men are presented with more opportunities while women are often stuck in the same positions.
Women are subjected to a lower standard than men at many places of work and ultimately, women are faced with more struggles in the workforce than necessary.
The overall wage gap between men and women in 2014 was 21.4%. This means that women aren’t being treated fairly in the workplace. Based off of a New York Times graph of weekly wages between men and women:
Women in professional specialty occupations were found to earn just 72.7% of what men in the same position earned, and women in upper level executive, administrative and managerial occupations earned even less at 72.3%. — College Times
But not only are women often paid less than their male colleagues, but women are also treated differently during the average work day. The Huffington Post states,
One in three women between the ages of 18–34 has been sexually harassed at work.
How is sexual harassment defined?
We often hear about the most blatant types of harassment, such as asking for sexual or inappropriate favors. However, harassment can also assume the form of sexually explicit jokes, or stories that have been shared by an offender. — Chris Petersen
What is it like to be the only female in a workplace?
Working for a male-dominated company is challenging when you are the only female in the building. Not only are you subject to different forms of harassment, you also have to continue to prove your worth twice as much as your male co-workers.
Oh, and don’t forget about mansplaining (a man explaining something to a woman, in a manner regarded as condescending or patronizing.) Being the only woman at a place of work means dealing with a whole lot of mansplaining and consequential eye-rolls.
So how do women do it? How do strong female workers go about their day in a male-dominated business? They follow these following tips:
Tips for being the only woman in a place of work:
Do not become intimately involved with your male co-worker(s)
For men and women alike, it is not often a good idea to date a co-worker and it is even more frowned upon to date your boss. If you want your colleagues’ opinions about you to remain focused solely on your working capabilities, then avoid dating anyone in your workplace.
Report any type of sexual harassment you have experienced or seen
If you or someone you know experiences any form of sexual harassment, do not be afraid to let human resources know. Any type of harassment is unacceptable and needs to be reported, especially if you do not feel safe in your workplace.
Be confident
Don’t allow any belittling or condescending comment lower your self-esteem. you were hired at this company for your expertise and education in your field. Be confident in your ability to succeed.
Make networking a daily task
Even if you take five minutes out of every day to reach out with someone on LinkedIn, increasing your network and connecting with like-minded individuals will help you advance in your career.
Build a relationship with a female mentor
This is so important especially if you are the only woman at your job. A mentor doesn’t need to work with you or even have the same career as you. She can simply be someone you admire and look up to. Allow the mentor relationship to grow organically, you cannot force someone to mentor you. But once you have a solid connection with a mentor, go to her for guidance and support whenever you need it.
Speak up
At times, you may feel intimidated by your bosses or other male co-workers. Do not allow this feeling to hinder you from speaking your mind whether at a meeting or daily life at the office. Your thoughts and ideas are just as important and may even become the best plan for your company’s objectives.
Avoid making excuses
As a woman in the workforce, it’s easy to blame the patriarchy for losing a promotion to a man. Unless you’re 100% sure that you lost this opportunity to a man that you are more qualified than, just because you are a woman, don’t blame it on sexism. Assess your abilities and where you may still need to grow and gain more experience. Don’t make excuses for yourself, use this slight setback as fuel for the fire to achieve something even greater in the future.
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