Explaining Gender Gap In Math Test Scores -Myassignmenthelp.Com

Question: Discuss About The Explaining Gender Gap In Math Test Scores? Answer: Introduction Human Resource Management or HRM is defined as policies, system, and practices that are implemented in an organisation to influence its employees attitude, behaviour and performance. Strategic Human Resource Management (SHRM) is referred as strategically planned HR arrangements and practices that focus on enabling the organisation to achieve its goals (Truss, Mankin Kelliher, 2012). In recent years, HR department performs more actions than just managing staffs and their salaries. They implement policies for managing diversity in the organisation and motivating employees to perform better which result in achievement of organisational objectives (Shen, Chanda, Dnetto Monga, 2009). This report will focus on the issue of gender equality face by HR department and discusses whether HR is doing enough to address this issue by analysing the news story posted by Human Resources Director. The number of female employees is growing in modern corporations, but the pace is considerably slow. Wom en also face the issue of unequal pay because they receive less pay for similar work than compare to male workers. This report will evaluate the issue of gender inequality and how it has influence women worldwide. The report will focus on analysing the role of SHRM in addressing the issue of gender inequality and unequal pay face by female workers worldwide. Further, various recommendations will be given that can assist HR managers in addressing this issue. Thesis Statement The awareness about gender inequality and unequal pay issues is growing between corporations and HR departments are implement SHRM policies to address these issues, but the pace is considerably slow and strategic policies are needed for addressing these issues. Examining the Issue of Gender Inequality Gender inequality in companies is defined as unequal and discriminatory behaviour against female employees wholly or partly based on their gender. Most of the women worldwide face the issue of gender inequality because of common misconceptions that female employees cannot perform as equal as male workers. The Global Gender Gap Report 2017 given by World Economic Forum provided that there is still a gender gap of 32 percent in 144 countries (World Economic Forum, 2017). Many national and international initiatives have been started by governments in different nations to tackle this issue, but they have failed to address it completely. Most of the senior, leading positions are held by male employees because HR department did not promote women employees to top-level positions. In Australia, the federal government has implemented Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 to address the issue of gender inequality in the country (Cardillo, 2013). The HR department of Australian corporations is nec essary to follow the policies of equality act to ensure that they did not discriminate between employees based on gender (Parcheta, Kaifi Khanfar, 2013). The government has established Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) that perform the activities of collecting data from industries and formulating appropriate policies for addressing the issue of gender inequality in Australia. The news story posted by Human Resources Director provided that the awareness about gender inequality is growing between companies and HR departments are formulating policies for removing gender discrimination and promoting women at top-level positions (Hilton, 2017). But, the speed of change is considerably slow. For example, around 24 percent of global leading positions are held by women in 2016, and this number has raised just 3 percent since 2011 (Catalyst, 2017). The slow pace of development proves that there is still a significant requirement of HR policies that promote females to top-level senior positions. Women across the globe are facing the issue of gender pay gap; in Australian, the gender pay gap is 15.3 percent (Livsey, 2017). The gender pay g ap provides that women employees receive less salary for similar work than compare to male workers. Analysing the Impact of Gender Inequality and Role of HR Department In todays competitive business world, corporations focus on effectively managing and retaining their staff members to gain a competitive advantage over others. The HR department focuses on effectively managing diversity in the organisations by maintaining positive employee relationships. The HR department ensures that employees with different cultural backgrounds, race, religion or gender are not discriminated, and they receive equal remuneration and benefits for their work (Cook Glass, 2014). Equal Employment Opportunity (EOO) means employees should be given raise and promotions based on their performance and HR executives should not discriminate between workers based on their race, caste, religion, and gender (Morand Merriman, 2012). Lack of discrimination creates a positive working environment which motivates employees to increase their performance. As per the Equity Theory given by John Stacey Adams, the motivation of employees directly correlates with their perception of justi ce and fair treatment by the top-level management (Skiba Rosenberg, 2011). The employees are motivated by the balance between the work that they put and the compensation that they receive. The lack of female leaders in modern companies provides that the issue of gender discrimination has not been resolved (Milner Gregory, 2014). HR department failed to implement effective SHRM policies that result in increasing the issues faced by women in the workplace. For example, female employees face the issue of sexual harassment, unsafe workplace and racist environment in the office causing them to leaving their job. HR department has to deal with a high number of female employees turnover if they failed to establish a positive working environment (Grove, Hussey Jetter, 2011). Lack of female employees retention increases the cost of recruitment for corporations. The performance of female employees also reduces because they have to deal with workplace issues. Many international enterprises implement policies for reducing gender inequality between male and female workers which assist them in maintaining a competitive advantage (Niederle Vesterlund, 2010). For example, Harley-Davidson Incorporation focuses on promoting female workers; therefore, 25 percent of their workforce includes women (Barrett, 2015). The HR depar tment of Harley-Davidson provides equal growth opportunities to female workers which result in reducing their employee attrition rate and establishing a positive working environment. The HR department is responsible for improving employees productivity and performance, but due to lack of SHRM policies and gender discrimination, HR executives find it difficult to manage female workers performance. HR department can implement appropriate SHRM policies after analysing the working conditions of female workers that encourage women to improve their productive performance. Current Situation As per the News report of Human Resources Director, more than 11,000 employers and four million employees in Australia are showing great awareness regarding gender equality issues (Hilton, 2017). But the pace of change in considerably slow since Australia has a gender pay gap of 15.3 percent (Livsey, 2017). Many experts believe that female employees are facing gender inequality and pay gap issue due to lack of female leaders. Daily Mail posted a News story on women leaders which proved that there is considerably less female in top-level positions (Greenaway, 2015). HR department avoids promoting female employees to senior level positions because of the common misconception that women cannot lead. The HR departments in organisations have failed to formulate new regulations and policies regarding gender inequality issues which increase the challenges for women in the workplace. In the technology industry, more than 90 percent of female employees have witness sexist behaviour in the cor porations (OConnor, 2016). To address these issues, many leading organisations including Apple, Google and Salesforce have implemented SHRM policies for removing gender inequality and promoting female employees are top-level positions. HM is a global leading fashion retailing chain which has more than 49.8 percent of female board members and executives (Peters, 2016). There are a large number of leading companies that has failed to address gender inequality and pay gap issue. For example, in Toyota, the number of female board members is 6 percent, and they did not have any women in executive leadership positions. Samsung is another example of a global leading firm with zero percent women in board members and executive leadership positions (Peters, 2016). Lack of leading female representatives increases the issue faced by women worldwide. A study posted by Independent in January 2018 provided that there is 80 percent of gender pay gap in 527 leading companies in the UK (Mortimer, 2018). BBC is another leading organisation which has reported gender pay gap in their organisation. In June 2017, some high-profile female stars of BBC called on the organisation for addressing the gender pay gap. BBC has implemented SHRM policies to address this issue, and it has committed to assigning 50 percent of its senior level managerial roles to women by 2020 (BBC, 2017). These corporations prove that women around the world are suffering from gender inequality and pay gap issues and the initiative taken by HR are not enough to address these issues. Recommendations for HR Executives Following are various recommendations and suggestions for HR department in corporations that can assist them in addressing the issue of gender inequality and pay gap and improving their female workers performance. HR department should implement strict policies for the safety of female workers to address workplace issues such as racist behaviour, sexual harassment, discrimination and unsafe workplace. Positive working environment will increase the number of female workers in corporations, and it will also improve their performance. HR department should implement policies for motivating female workers by proving them rewards for better performance. Rewards can encourage female employees to improve their productivity, and it will also reduce discrimination against them. Male and female workers should receive equal pay for equal works since it will reduce discrimination and improve their performance (Ettl Welter, 2010). The corporations should implement effective Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) structure to address the issue of gender inequality and pay gap. The companies should provide annual reports of CSR which include the information about initiatives taken by HR to improve diversity and reduce discrimination in the enterprise (Garay Font, 2012). Annual report will assist in reducing gender discrimination and increase gender equality in firms. The corporations should increase the number of female members in the board of directors and managerial executives. HR department can implement a number of learning and development initiatives for female workers that will improve their capabilities and makes it easier for HR department to promote them on to the senior managerial position. Conclusion In conclusion, women worldwide are facing the issue of gender inequality and pay gap. The awareness about this issue is increasing between modern enterprises, and they are taking initiatives to address this issue, but the pace of change is considerably slow. The lack of female in senior positions and high number of gender pay gap increases the issue faced by female workers. Due to lack of effective HR policies, female workers face various issues in organisations which reduce their performance such as sexual harassment, racist behaviour, unsafe working environment and discrimination in promotion to senior positions. The HR department can implement various SHRM policies to address these issues such as implementing programs for learning and development of female workers, strict policies against discrimination, annual CSR reports, and motivation and reward initiative for encouraging female workers. These policies can assist corporations in addressing the issue of gender inequality and pa y gap which will result in sustaining future growth of enterprises. References Barrett, R. (2015). Harley courts women and young riders. Retrieved from https://archive.jsonline.com/business/harley-courts-women-and-young-riders-b99431331z1-289674181.html/ Catalyst. (2017). Women in Management. Retrieved from https://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/women-management Cook, A., Glass, C. (2014). Above the glass ceiling: When are women and racial/ethnic minorities promoted to CEO?.Strategic Management Journal,35(7), 1080-1089. Ettl, K., Welter, F. (2010). 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