To better understand the need to impose gender quotas, you can read our article regarding the concept of GLASS CEILING (https://feminismatwork.business.blog/2020/02/17/lets-break-that-glass-ceiling/(opens in a new tab)). We can summarize it by saying that for women it’s more difficult to climb the career ladder due to the discriminations they face on the workplace.
Consequently Governments decided to establish gender quotas in order to force organizations to reserve a specific amount of charges to women. So for example, if there are 10 open job positions, at least 3 must be assigned to women.
A common objection is that quotas are DISCRIMINATORY because the obligation to employ a certain number of women prevents as many men (that are maybe more qualified) to access the job. The main question is the one of MERITOCRACY.
However, every one of us has cognitive bias, systematic patterns of deviation from norm or rationality in judgment in order to make faster decisions. They are based on beliefs that are already in our brain, without really paying attention to the reality we are facing. One of these bias is that “masculinity is superior to femininity, so men are better than women”, even though statistically women perform better at school. This leads to hiring men more easily and that’s why is powerful positions there are less women.
Imposing quotas is necessary to overcome this bias, without them the 10 open positions would probably be assigned to 10 men, and in this way companies renounce to hire valid women. Quotas are used to set a precedent in order to destroy the cognitive bias. If employers start seeing examples of women that were able to do their job, they will start to believe that they are capable. Eventually, when the prejudice is completely eradicated and recruiting processes are fair, quotas won’t be necessary anymore.
At the same time we need to remember that gender quotas are a MEAN, NOT THE SOLUTION; they simply mitigate the consequences of the systematic discrimination that women face, THEY DO NOT INTERVENE ON THE CAUSES.
What should employers do?
Maintaining MERITOCRACY, which mean that companies should implement fair recruiting processes. You can read our related article (https://feminismatwork.business.blog/2020/02/13/recruit-talent-not-gender/(opens in a new tab) ).
Implement TRAINING WORKSHOPS about in order to deconstruct the stereotypes and help members of the organization understand diversity’s significance and how to relate to each other respectfully. In the long term this is the most effective solution that will make quotas unnecessary.
Strive to create a FEMINIST WORKING ENVIRONMENT. Hiring more women is just the first step, employers should subsequently help them in fulfilling their potential by creating the adequate environment (which means implementing the tips suggested in our articles). In this way women will be able to truly prove themselves.
Author: Francesca Asja Trento
Feminism at the Workplace 