Over the years, the number of women in the workforce has increased significantly. According to the World Labor Organization, the female labor force participation rate in 2019 was 52.47%. However, the number of women in leadership positions remains a concern for many people. Many researchers predict that the lower number of women in leadership roles is due to various invisible barriers women must overcome.
Read on to know what factors play a role in
professional development for women
in organizations.
Job flexibility is an integral factor in the success of women in an organization. It refers to flexibility regarding the location, amount of work, and duration of employment. Job flexibility enables women to create a better work-life balance and become more productive at work. It allows women to remain stress-free and focus on the task at hand. Thus, improving their performance in the organization and enabling them to climb the organizational ladder quickly.
Another essential factor affecting women’s career growth in any organization is their cultural background. Most cultures in the world expect women to get married or have children at a certain age. It pressures women to choose their family lives over careers at different stages. Men don’t face such complications, so they can often give complete attention to their jobs.
It is also seen that women who get more support at home from their families can manage their personal lives and careers better than women who don’t have such support.
Everyone knows how important it is to have a good network, both in the organization and outside, to build better careers. Your network support is vital in your career success journey, regardless of gender. However, it is often noticed that women are not as good at networking as men. It is usually because women believe in building close long-term relationships rather than short-term ones for benefits. However, these relationships take longer to build and aren't enough to help women grow in their careers. Hence, women must focus on networking with other women in the organization to help them grow their careers.
Another integral element that helps women advance in their careers is right mentoring. A mentor is someone usually in a higher position than you, with practical skills and leadership abilities to effectively guide you in your professional life. Having the right mentor can help women build their skills, confidence, and individuality, and overcome gender-based discrimination in the organization. Women who receive guidance and mentorship early in their careers through female mentoring programs often get better at leadership and are more likely to hold important positions later.
Pretty Girls Rock is a community of strong women who come together to uplift and empower other women. We help fellow women with every aspect of their lives. Whether you want to get a new job or need help getting fit, we can help you with our various women's development programs. Join our live events and become a member to be a part of our digital network and grow with us. You can reach out to us at 832-429-7678 or fill out our online contact form to hear back from us.