Female Participation In The UK Economy

2283 Words5 Pages

We have seen in the past forty years significant changes in the structure of the UK economy, including the development of a knowledge economy and a rise in investment of human capital (Thompson, 2004). The accelerated process of globalisation and a shift in social attitudes and government policy has also influenced and shaped the UK labour market. This report will explore the structure of the UK Economy and the implications this has had on the labour market and Human Resources Management. It will argue that inequalities and disadvantage still exist for many demographic groups and will focus on female participation in the workplace through gender, segregation and the gendering of roles. Secondly, this report will focus more specifically on the …show more content…

Furthermore, Eagly and Carli (2007) identify a labyrinth which they suggest prevents women from attaining a senior position within an organisation. This includes family life, resistance to women’s leadership and pre-existing prejudices. Although Eagly and Carli acknowledge the barriers that make it almost impossible for women to travel up the career ladder, they conclude that now the barriers have been recognised women are at a better place to negotiate through the labyrinth and their positioning within an organisation. This also has implications for organisations and HR departments as they are now aware of where these issues lie and where action needs to be focused. Therefore, the idea of a “glass ceiling” becomes illusionary as although it can be difficult, women are given the opportunity to progress as outlined in the labyrinth model, however to some extent gender segregation is reliant on individual decisions both unexpected and expected that determine career outcomes (Hakim, …show more content…

Despite legislation which has been introduced to conquer inequalities and to protect certain groups, it is apparent that inequalities still exist for those who fall into a BAME group. Research has suggested that ethnic minorities groups have been consistently lower than the rate for white people in relation to employment. Ethnicity must also be considered alongside gender as individuals identities are built up around a range of demographics including, gender, ethnicity, religion etc. (Ramji,

Open Document