When Sishemo accepted her new role in the organization, she was excited to take it up and did all the necessary preparations. She decided it was time for a more mature hairstyle and a new corporate wardrobe that fit a management position. Reporting for work, she didn’t expect that it would be full of males only. The organization had no females in management, but she quickly blended in with her male colleagues.

Surprisingly, in the management meeting, the supervisor expected her to ensure water, air conditioning, and mint sweets were available all the time. It was not her job because there were juniors in that management meeting who could easily do that task, but being the only female, it was like everyone expected her to just do it. It was now her task to open windows and ensure a clean room was available for meetings. It actually made her feel like work was an extension of her home, where she needed to ensure she made preparations for the next meal. Even when one officer was missing in the meeting, all eyes would turn on her when the CEO enquired about the whereabouts of one representative from a particular department, and she would stand up to go and search.

The worst part was the emails and WhatsApp messages that were sent close to midnight and expected immediate responses. As a woman and mother, she had a home to run and needed to be a wife when she was home. Her rule was to check the emails and WhatsApp messages at the next meeting; this was a boundary she set. In fact, most of the messages shared in the management group could wait until the morning, but not knowing how the rest of the members lived in their various homes, she didn’t blame them for their constant communication in the evening. If there was an emergency, clearly someone would give her a call.

Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one’s gender or sex. It can affect anyone but primarily affects women and girls. It has been linked to gender roles and stereotypes and may include the belief that one sex or gender is intrinsically superior to the other.

There are plenty of studies which show that women are less likely to be called to interview for jobs than similarly qualified men.

Women at work are still more likely to be called inappropriate names, to be expected to provide sexual favors, and when they clearly set boundaries—especially if unmarried—they are accused of being disgruntled and labelled as someone who needs a man to calm them down.

Women are still more likely to be expected to organize the meeting, oversee the catering, take the notes, than men. Women are more likely to be asked for favors, to organize parties, mentor interns, recommend hires, prepare presentations, without it being recognized as part of their work, so they don’t get value from it. They are told to be “team players.” Men who do the same things are praised for it.

Women face stigma or discrimination for taking time off work for family or maternity leave and may experience negative career consequences as a result. In some cases, women are forced to choose between their careers and their family responsibilities. A woman is expected to take days off when children or a spouse is unwell.

Women may not have access to the same networking opportunities as their male counterparts and may struggle to find mentors or sponsors who can provide them with guidance and advocate for their career advancement. This can result in fewer opportunities for women to advance in their careers, as well as a lack of role models and support systems to help them navigate the challenges of the workplace.

Women are often held to higher standards or face greater scrutiny for their behavior or performance, while men may be given more leeway or rewarded for similar behaviors. Double standards and expectations can significantly negatively affect women in the workplace.

Women may feel pressure to conform to traditional gender roles or stereotypes to be accepted or promoted, which can limit their opportunities for growth and development. Additionally, women may face backlash or negative consequences if they deviate from these expectations, which can create a hostile or unwelcoming work environment.

Women are less likely than men to have access to senior leaders who can provide guidance and support. The lack of networking opportunities can also have a significant impact on women’s career advancement. Without access to key decision-makers and mentors, women may miss out on important opportunities to develop new skills and take on new challenges.

Possible solutions to promote networking opportunities include creating formal mentorship and sponsorship programs, providing networking training and resources, and ensuring that women have access to informal networks within the workplace. Additionally, companies can promote networking by encouraging employee participation in professional organizations and industry events. By promoting networking opportunities, companies can help women build the connections they need to succeed and advance in their careers.

But the challenge is, more often, the men tasked with the responsibility of approving these mentorship or networking programs often delay doing so and treat these approvals as favors, without realizing it is for the benefit of the institution. It becomes even more difficult when the woman seeking approval, once denied a coffee or drink date request from the supervisor, will be punished for that denial by being given all sorts of excuses to get her request approved, and this often impedes her professional growth and advancement.

In the same way that most businesses or institutions provide condoms in bathrooms, they can also provide access to menstrual products, such as tampons and pads in the female bathrooms for those emergency periods. It’s not easy working all day whilst bleeding with stomach cramps and putting up a brave face so that no one notices the pain or discomfort.

Most organizations have a wellness budget that buys condoms, which they provide in bathrooms. It is time they included pads and tampons in those budgets. This can help and make it easier for menstruating individuals to manage their periods at work.

The lack of a supportive work environment and culture negatively affects women’s professional development and advancement opportunities. Promoting a positive work environment and culture is crucial in ensuring gender equality in the workplace. When a male supervisor seems keen on getting rid of a female staff member who is hardworking, management must get to the bottom of why this staff member is being targeted when clearly she is a hard worker.

Women continue to face numerous challenges in the workplace that hinder their professional growth and advancement. Employers, employees, and society as a whole must take action to address these issues and create a more equitable and inclusive workplace. Employers can implement policies and programs that promote diversity and inclusion, provide support for working mothers, and address unconscious biases in hiring and promotion.

It is important to recognize that addressing these issues requires a collective effort and a sustained commitment to change. By working together, we can create a future where women can fully realize their potential and thrive in the workplace. We can build a workplace culture where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported, regardless of their gender.

Making time for children and running homes are still very important roles in the lives of working women, and we need to know that there can be a balance between both. We do not need the guilt that society puts on us when pursuing a career. A supervisor cannot expect a woman to produce minutes that very evening for a meeting that ended after 5 pm because that woman who took the minutes has to take up another role as a mother and wife as soon as she gets home, while the rest of the members of that particular meeting will be served food and have warm baths run for them as soon as they get home. That woman you are expecting to share minutes has other family obligations as soon as she steps out of the boardroom. She is expected to be the one to run the bath for her spouse, cook food for the whole family, and cater to her husband.

To help advance women in leadership roles:

Identify talented women early in their careers.

Raise their aspirations.

Develop targeted skill-building opportunities and strong support systems.

Provide flexible onboarding programs and maternity leave.

Establish mentoring and role-modeling initiatives.

Identify and address conscious and unconscious biases.

Put effective performance metrics in place to ensure fair evaluation.

By addressing the challenges head-on and leveraging the unique skills that women bring to leadership roles, organizations can build more resilient, innovative, and successful teams at all levels. Shout out to the women who make it look simple and easy when we carry so much more to boardrooms, workplaces, and businesses.

Seek help when in need; visit a counselor near you!

About the author

Aka Monde, is a licensed Professional Counsellor who holds a Master of Science in Counselling from the University of Zambia. She believes in the adage “a problem shared, is a problem half solved.” Speak to your pastor, church elder, elderly family member or see a professional counsellor when in need.

Email: akamonde83@gmail.com