Gender Discrimination in Workplace

Table of Content

1.0 Abstract……………………………………………………………………………………………….3
2.0 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………3
3.0 Content…………………………………………………………………………………………..……4
3.1 Type of Gender Discrimination………………………………………………...…4
3.2 Effect of Gender Discrimination……………………………………………….…5
3.3 Ways to stop Gender Discrimination……………………………………….….6
4.0 Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………...…6
References………………………………………………………………………………………...……………7
Evaluation of References……………………………………………………………………………….10

1.0 Abstract
Gender discrimination has become a common issue in the business world. It becomes a problem, which is hard to be solved because gender discrimination against women has been practiced for a long time ago. In some countries such as Indonesia, they are treated unfair, unfriendly, and underestimated. It becomes people’s stereotype that men are better than women. In Indonesia, women tend to be a housewife instead of working in a busy workplace. Working in business area is such men’s job, they tend to be the one who earn money, whereas women should stay at home and do the housework. The mindset of discriminating other sex is has to be stopped and people have to build up a new mindset that men and women are the same. The main content in this report is about the side effect of gender discrimination. 2.0 Introduction “Sex discrimination is any practice or policy that results in differential treatment of an individual because of his or her sex.” (Bails, 1994). In this case, discriminating women has been practiced since kingdom era. The history of Indonesia brought the Indonesian people’s mindset for discriminating women. When Indonesia was still a country with kingdom, women will never be equal to men. Which means that women level is not the same as men. When Indonesia was under Dutch colonies’ control for 350 years, there was no school for women (Beck, 2007). They were not allowed to get any kind of formal education. They had been taught the Indonesian ladies to do the house work and taking care of the guy since they were child. The mindset of putting women’s level below men has become the major factor for this problem. These days, Indonesian women are starting to replaced men’s job. Indonesian women are allowed to get good education like what men do. The Indonesian government has set a policy for the entire resident to have a minimum of 9 years education (Indonesia.go.id, 2013). This makes their nature ability emanate.

However, even though discrimination against women has been diminished, it is still rampant in the workplace. Fair Employment Council of Greater Washington (1992, cited in Bails, 1994) stated that “Sexual Harassment is not always an expression of sexuality or sexual desire, but an inappropriate use of power” People’s mindset of discriminating women is still on going. “While educated Indonesian women have access to a wide variety of career choices, they also face serious obstacles to upward mobility” (Crockett, 1993, p.19). The Dutch colonies make it seems so difficult to change the thought of treating women unequally.

3.0 CONTENT
3.1Type of Gender Discrimination
There are several types of gender discrimination. The first type of it is direct discrimination. It is a an act of treating someone less favorably because their actual sex. Second, indirect discrimination is also the other type of discrimination. This kind of discrimination is quite similar to the first one. The different because of there is a policy in the workplace for not discriminating or have to respect other workers. For example, there is a requirement for the job seekers to have a six feet tall body. This makes fewer women to be accepted because women tend to be shorter than men. They are also discriminated because of their physical appearance or clothing. The employer might prefer to hire women with an attractive physical appearance to the other candidates. It is believed that the attractive ones are more likely to bring more sales. In the other hand, it makes it harder for the women who are not as attractive ones to be accepted, even though they have better ability (Catalyst.org, 2013). Another type is sexual harassment. This type of discrimination is the most common one that women faced in the workplace. “Sexual harassment is when unwanted conduct related to sex has the purpose or effect of violating an individual 's dignity or creating an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that individual” (Acas.org.uk, 2013). Finally, women are discriminated because they can be pregnant. This is also become the main reason of the employer for not accepting women in the workplace. it simply because if the women get pregnant they should take at least 12 days holiday, and it is not what the employer want.

3.2 Effect of Gender Discrimination Gender discrimination in the workplace brings bad impacts to the employee psychology. The first impact can be seen from the employee’s decreasing productivity. Discriminating employee especially women in the workplace will only make them working not in a maximum productivity. Based on United Nations Entity for Gender Equity and the Empowerment of Women (2011) that when an employee is discriminated against, they will feel helpless and anxiety, and also a sudden feeling of lack interest on the job responsibilities. The other impact is financial for the business. If an employee quits to escape the discrimination, the employer must spend more money to make a replacement. Finally, there is also physical effect that the employee will face. Discrimination in the workplace will cause the employee to feel nervous and stress to appear in the workplace (Fernandez, 2011). These impacts are some example that discrimination against women in the workplace has no advantage, though it leads to some negative impacts towards the employee and the business it self.

3.3 Ways to Stop Discrimination Against Women Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission (2013) stated that there are several ways to stop gender discrimination in the workplace that already applied. First, giving zero tolerance for the discriminator. Secondly, make a baseline workplace standard for all employees. Giving high standard requirements will also lead a peaceful situation in the workplace. Finally, the employees personal thinking is have to be changed, and it all starts from them selves.

4.0 Conclusion

People’s mindset of discriminating other gender is has to be stopped. There is no benefit of judging others from personal perspective. Discrimination against women has been practiced since kingdom era in Indonesia. Followed by the Dutch colonies that were giving thought to the Indonesian to discriminate women. And as the time pass by, women level is become more equal to men’s. However, the mindset cannot be cleanly removed. Discriminating women is still rampant in the work place. There are several impacts of it. It can decreases employees productivity, it is also affecting employees’ physics, and finally, it is also affecting the business financial. All in all, the thought of underestimating women in the workplace is has to be stopped.

References:

Acas.org.uk. 2013. Acas-Sex discrimination. [online] Available at: [Accessed: 25 Nov 2013].

Bails, C. 1994. Females ' reactions to sexual harassment in the workplace and the impact of race. Ph. D. Thesis. Temple University. Available from: [30 November 2013]

Bails, C. 1994. Females ' reactions to sexual harassment in the workplace and the impact of race. Ph.D. Thesis. Temple University. Available from: [30 November 2013].

Beck, S. 2007. Indonesia and the Dutch 1800-1950 by Sanderson Beck. [online] Available at:< http://www.san.beck.org/20-11-Indonesia1800-1950.html >[Accessed: 28 Nov 2013].

Catalyst.org. 2013. Knowledge Center | Catalyst.org. [online] Available at: [Accessed: 27 Nov 2013].
Crockett, V. 1993. Women in Management in Indonesia. 23 (4), p.19. Available from: [Accessed: 28 November 2013]

Fernandez, M. 2011. Consequences of Gender Discrimination. [report]. Available from: [Accessed: 21 November 2013].

Indonesia.go.id. 2013. Wajib Belajar 9 Tahun. [online] Available at: [Accessed: 21 November 2013].

References: Acas.org.uk. 2013. Acas-Sex discrimination. [online] Available at: [Accessed: 25 Nov 2013]. Bails, C. 1994. Females ' reactions to sexual harassment in the workplace and the impact of race. Ph. D. Thesis. Temple University. Available from: [30 November 2013] Bails, C. 1994. Females ' reactions to sexual harassment in the workplace and the impact of race. Ph.D. Thesis. Temple University. Available from: [30 November 2013]. Beck, S. 2007. Indonesia and the Dutch 1800-1950 by Sanderson Beck. [online] Available at:< http://www.san.beck.org/20-11-Indonesia1800-1950.html >[Accessed: 28 Nov 2013]. Catalyst.org. 2013. Knowledge Center | Catalyst.org. [online] Available at: [Accessed: 27 Nov 2013]. Crockett, V. 1993. Women in Management in Indonesia. 23 (4), p.19. Available from: [Accessed: 28 November 2013] Fernandez, M. 2011. Consequences of Gender Discrimination. [report]. Available from: [Accessed: 21 November 2013]. Indonesia.go.id. 2013. Wajib Belajar 9 Tahun. [online] Available at: [Accessed: 21 November 2013].