Sociology Essay Example: Discrimination of Women in Germany

Discrimination of women in the workplace in Germany is high which causes high levels of frustrations as females seek for equal opportunities like their male counterparts. When women are given positions in an organization, they do not earn equal or competitive incomes compared to their male colleagues (Ascher, 2012). It means that a man and a woman at an organization can handle the same assignments but male workers may get higher incomes and preferential treatment when it comes to payments and bonuses. Toivonen (2010) argues that women in Germany earn less compared to men since they do not meet the academic and experience qualifications in jobs. He justifies this reason by stating that women take longer breaks when they fall pregnant and focus their attention on their families and put a stop to their career. During this time, men have the opportunity to occupy most senior positions in the workplace making it hard for women to fit back after their maternity leave (Walsh & Xydias, 2014). Most women also prefer to pause their career advancements and bring up their children and only go back to work after their children are more than seven years and enrolled in school. Hence, when they rejoin the workplace, they have to start at the entry level since the workplace has gone through technological changes that require them to train in new skills (Kunze, Boehm, & Bruch, 2011). Further. More discrimination comes in when most organizations are unwilling to hire women based on their gender and are afraid that they might take more breaks after getting pregnant. Employees care about their organizations and focus on profit maximization, which justifies the reason of their preference of male workers as opposed to women.

Promotion is also gender-based as opposed to merit making it hard for women and men to compete fairly. Women face inequality in the workplaces in Germany since they get a few or fewer chances where they can advance their careers (Walsh & Xydias, 2014). It is common to find that men hold most managerial positions in the country even though there are women in the same entity who hold lower ranks. Hence, pays are low for women leaving the men competing against each other for the increased salaries. Women end up feeling down-sided in the workplace since most decisions favor men ignoring their needs (Ascher, 2012). Organizations also frustrate women by subjecting them to longer working hours and no bonus or salaries in a bid to frustrate them and push them out of the workplaces. This is the reason why most organizations have male employees since they do not have or focus their attention on family obligations, unlike the women whose instincts push them to care about their loved ones (Toivonen, 2010). In addition, men are willing and able to withstand harsh working conditions as they prove their masculinity.

It is also evident that women in Germany go through discrimination based on their religion and mode of dressing. Ascher (2012) argues that women who cover their head are most likely to miss to job opportunities from employers when compared to those who prefer to style their hair. Most men argue that women who cover their heads are suspicious and a potential threat to the security of every individual at the workplace. It almost becomes impossible for the women to secure employment when they cover their heads and are pregnant (Walsh & Xydias, 2014). The negative perception towards pregnant women is an excuse employer present as they reject female candidates and prefer working with men.

Kunze, Boehm, & Bruch (2011) suggest that women go through gender discrimination at the workplace since most employees perceive them to focus on leisure activities as opposed to the development of the workplace. According to Walsh & Xydias (2014), women take more leaves in one year than men who can forgo their off days to work towards improving the workplace. In addition, women go for more vacations than men do, meaning that once a woman secures a senior position, they will take a break so that they can celebrate. On the other hand, men would rather continue improving and advancing themselves in preparation for the next attractive promotion. Men are also willing to work in teams with their friends and help each other advance in the career ladder as opposed to women who prefer benefitting on their own (Ascher, 2012). The only solution lies in the ability of women to help raise each other in the careers and maintain the high positions.

One of the justifications that most employers provide for the discrimination they extend to women is based on the cultural and religious beliefs (Van Bavel, 2012). Traditionally, men view women as homemakers and perceive they should also serve their families, including their husbands and children and the community at large. Hence, employers fail to give women an equal opportunity as they compete with men. As a result of the discrimination that women go through at their places, it has contributed to the inability and unwillingness to get pregnant as it interferes with their career advancements. Most women also delay the age at which they give birth to their first and subsequent children as they focus on school and work so that they can prove to their employees that they can produce results like their male colleagues.

References

Ascher, J. (2012). Female entrepreneurshipAn appropriate response to gender discrimination.

Kunze, F., Boehm, S. A., & Bruch, H. (2011). Age diversity, age discrimination climate and performance consequencesa cross organizational study. Journal of organizational behavior, 32(2), 264-290.

Toivonen, T. (2010). Is There Life after Work for Japan? Political WorkLife BalanceResearch Begins to Address the Hard Questions. Social Science Japan Journal, 14(1), 55-61.

Van Bavel, J. (2012). The reversal of gender inequality in education, union formation and fertility in Europe. Vienna Yearbook of Population Research, 127-154.

Walsh, S. D., & Xydias, C. (2014). Women's organizing and intersectional policy-making in comparative perspective: evidence from Guatemala and Germany. Politics, Groups, and Identities, 2(4), 549-572.