Women in the Workforce

There is a noticeable trend in today's workforce, whereby more women are earning team leader and managerial positions in many businesses. Yet, for women in the workforce, there are still many cases where barriers exist that may limit their chances of earning that promotion.

In a recent survey, women in the workforce have emphasised two main problems they find the hardest to deal with in the workplace:

• finding the balance between work and family life

• finding the most effective way to communicate with males in the workplace.

Finding a balance between work and family life is something many women face at some stage in their lives. Some women often find that working full-time while raising a family can be expensive, so they opt for part-time work or to not work until their children are of school age. Yet, are workplaces in Australia doing enough to help women in the workforce in this respect? Many workplaces allow for flexible working hours if parents need to attend to the needs of the child, but are there plans to see more crèches?

Communicating with their male colleagues, is a trial for some women in the workforce. They find males to be more competitive, or more ready to grab the attention and acclaim for new ideas and concepts. As women climb further and further into cementing roles of importance in workplaces, they will find role models that give them the inspiration to take charge of their own work-life. Being assertive in the workplace, without being too aggressive, is a skill that both sexes should learn.

Are there careers that women will do better in? Job Search Express believes women in the workforce are capable of performing well in any career, and we see any form of discrimination in the workplace as inexcusable. Women have as much chance of finding their dream job on Job Search Express as men do. It is up to your workplace to promote equal opportunity and allow both men and women in the workforce the opportunity to succeed without fear and prejudice.