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- #33 - How well do you understand the workplace waters you swim in?
#33 - How well do you understand the workplace waters you swim in?
Ness Monsequeira
March 10, 2024
The Nature of Leadership and Career
read time 5 minutes
The Nature of Leadership and Career, is a weekly newsletter where I provide 1 illustration and ~3 ideas to help you connect to your career, leadership, or work journey in a more natural way.
Today at a glance
Illustration of the week
- This is water
Career Soul Session Women’s Group
— 13 March!
The Nature of Career
- The Gender Gaps - The water we swim in
- Where do we go from here?
Gem of the week
- Free list of business books by women.
Women Wonder - Career Soul Sessions
🗓 Wednesday 13 March - Our first career soul sessions (post book club).
Safe space to discuss the all things work and life as a women in workforce.
Illustration of the Week
There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says “Morning, boys. How’s the water?”
And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, “What the hell is water?”
This is an excerpt from the famous Commencement Speech by David Foster Wallace.
As women how well do we understand the workplace waters we swim in?
After posting this, I pondered the question further, prompted by Rachel Varrilly Gierula's incisive observation. She noted that in addition to the well-discussed gender pay and wealth gaps, there are also the less-discussed gender pension and pain gaps to consider.
I realized I needed to better understand the entirety of the water and ocean I am swimming into at all stages of my career.
If you do too, let’s go for a swim:
The Gender Gaps - The water we swim in
Ehimetalor Akhere Unuabona on Unsplash
Gender pay gap
the difference in earnings between men and women in the workforce. It's often expressed as a percentage and represents the average disparity in pay between men and women.
Factors contributing to the gender pay gap include occupational segregation, discrimination, and the undervaluation of women's work.
Global Gender Gap Report - WEF - Gender Pay Gap EU - Gender Pay Gap Data AU - Gender Pay Gap Data US
Gender wealth gap
The disparity in assets, savings, and investments between men and women. It encompasses various financial aspects beyond income, such as property ownership, retirement savings, and access to financial resources.
Factors contributing to the gender wealth gap include differences in employment opportunities, career advancement, and caregiving responsibilities.
Gender education gap
The disparities in educational access and outcomes, especially in low-income countries and areas affected by conflict. Despite girls generally outperforming boys in primary education globally, challenges persist in accessing higher levels, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa and low-income regions. Females also face barriers in technical education and transitioning to the job market.
Factors contributing to the gender education gap include societal expectations, cultural norms, access to resources, and biases in educational systems.
Motherhood penalty
The negative impact that motherhood can have on a woman's career and earnings. Women often experience a decrease in wages and opportunities for advancement after becoming mothers, compared to their male counterparts or women without children.
This penalty can result from factors such as employer bias, limited access to flexible work arrangements, and societal expectations regarding caregiving responsibilities.
Follow Allison Whalen from Parentaly.
Gender pain gap
The disparities in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of pain based on gender. Research suggests that women are more likely than men to experience chronic pain conditions, yet they may receive less aggressive treatment or be dismissed by healthcare providers.
Factors contributing to the gender pain gap include stereotypes about pain tolerance, gender biases in medical research and practice, and inadequate pain assessment tools for women.
Gender pension gap
The differences in retirement savings and pension benefits between men and women. Women often have lower retirement savings than men due to various factors, including interruptions in employment for caregiving responsibilities, the gender pay gap, and part-time work.
Additionally, women tend to live longer than men, which means they require more savings to support themselves in retirement. These disparities contribute to women being at greater risk of financial insecurity in their later years.
** Please note that for “all the gaps” data collection and discussions regarding women of various races, religions, sexual orientations, abilities, and neurodiversity across different regions still requires significant improvement
If you watch to the end of the famous Commencement Speech by David Foster Wallace you will understand:
This is Water. Gender Pay Gap.
This is Water. Gender Wealth Gap.
This is Water. Gender Education Gap.
This is Water. Gender Pain Gap.
This is Water. Gender Pension Gap.
Where do we go from here?
If you feel overwhelmed, you’re not alone.
The gravity of what we need to overcome and the systemic change seems is complex.
As always, take it back to your Circle of control + Circle of influence.
Know the water you are currently swimming in.
Know that water your are swimming in to based on transitions in age, life stage, industry, country, continent.
Avoid doom scrolling or comments sections if you already feel down.
Don’t do it alone; join a women's group at your company, local community or online.
Speak to women and men you are close to you. Share an article, book, and your feeling, and break into deeper discussions.
Most importantly take time to stop and reflect regularly about what water you are swimming in.
Swim with intention.
Whenever you’re ready here are 3 ways I can help
#1 Gain clarity and confidence in your career transition
#2 Join the free weekly Career Soul Sessions for women in tech and sustainability. A safe space to share your thoughts, and feelings on all things career.
#3 Follow me on LinkedIn and Instagram for more Career + Leadership tips to help you thrive.
Gem of the week
In celebration of World Book Day - 7 March I have compiled this list of Business Books by Women.
📚 Grab the free template and make a copy.
➕ If you see books that are missing message me and I will add them.
📌Join the Women Wonder Bookclub if you're looking for a safe and inviting virtual space to read and discuss business books with an awesome group of women.
