Listening to Women’s Guts

What role do feelings– especially sickening ones– have in the workplace?  So often, workers do not have access to all their employers’ data about pay scale.  Therefore, workers are left to try to deduce whether or not they are being discriminated against.  Recruiters may want to think about what kind of perceptions may be subtly influencing their work with a company.

A new study from CareerBuilder paid attention to the persistent feelings of female workers.  Although these interviewed employees did not always have access to all the facts, many strongly suspected that their male counterparts received significantly more money and respect than they did.

According to the study, thirty-eight percent of female workers said they feel they are paid less than male counterparts with the same skills and experience, up from 34 percent in 2008 when the survey was last conducted, and up from 31 percent in 2003.

Also, the nagging feeling of injustice is not limited to paychecks.  An even greater number of women think that men have more career advancement opportunities within their organizations.   Women were also likely to feel like men were more frequently recognized for their achievements.  A little praise and gratitude can go a long way, but apparently, women are expected to continue along without the same amount of recognition.

Women suspected that among the reasons men were more likely to receive better positions was because men sought after bonding with management.  According to CareerBuilder’s press release, one-third of women attributed the disparity in pay and career advancement to the fact that they don’t rub elbows or schmooze with management as much as men.