The concept of working women
Work is generally
defined as the profession or doing a specific act, whereas a woman's job is a
term that refers to the mental and physical effort that a woman makes in her
workplace to achieve the benefit and benefit for her and the society, and at
present, the phenomenon of women's work has spread in various regions of the
world, women are considered half of society is the one who creates and educates
the other half, and therefore we should pay attention to the social situation
of it in this era
The current era is
characterized by the great development, which was reflected in the work of
women and their position in society, and this provided great opportunities for
women to obtain their political, social, economic, educational, and other
rights, and it also allowed them to participate in practical life. With her
responsibilities and duties towards her family and her institution.
The accession of
women to working life helps to develop the economic and social situation of
society in general, in addition to raising the budget of her family, and
society has provided opportunities for women to work and achieve equality for
men in the field of work, especially concerning the issue of wages, and it is
worth noting that women can work in any A place in it, whether in rural areas
or the city, but the nature of its work varies according to the social and
economic conditions surrounding it.
A brief history of women's work
History indicates
that the agricultural profession was the main profession that was prevalent in
the past, and that hard work was not limited to men only, as women had a
contribution to various physical works, such as grinding grains using stone
tools, collecting wood, fetching water from where it is, providing food and
others Then, the industrial revolution changed the working status of both men
and women, and changed the workplace location from home and its surroundings to
working in factories. Work began in these factories as teams made up of
families and the role of women as a family workforce began to change gradually.
The role of men in
the mid-nineteenth century in factory work emerged as the primary provider of
families, and women returned to work in homes, due to the increased protests
against the abuse that women and children were subjected to in factories, and
these protests helped to define working hours Women and children and protecting
them from work in dangerous jobs, and the role of women in domestic work
continued during the nineteenth century until the twentieth century, but at the
end of the nineteenth century, electric energy appeared and began using
electric machines such as washing machines, vacuum cleaners, etc., which Reduce
the time a woman spends at housework and make her more comfortable.
Economic and
social development had a major role in changing the nature of women's work. The
need for staff to work in various fields such as education, sales, in offices,
and other jobs increased, and employers employed women because they received
fewer wages than men for the same work, as women are not They are responsible
for providing for families, especially since most of the workers at that time
are single women, and during that period women started work related to their
household chores, such as sewing clothes.
Women worked in
the place of men during the Second World War in factories because of men’s
preoccupation with military service, and then returned to easier occupations
such as working in offices, nursing, and housekeeping, as married women began
working in the seventies of the last century, and began working in traditional
occupations as men, then Technology came to improve and facilitate the work of
women, as work that required physical exertion had been carried out very easily
through technology.
Motives for women working
Many reasons drive
women to work and to be financially independent, whether married or unmarried
and among these are the following:
·
Confronting
the rise in the cost of living:
the rate of inflation has increased in recent decades, which has led to higher
prices, and every family seeks to obtain a standard of living above average for
many reasons, which can be represented by owning a good home, sending children
to good schools and other things, Families with income can do this better, as
working women can help achieve financial goals.
·
Confronting
urgent problems: Each
family tries to prepare for any urgent problem when the man is the sole
breadwinner for the family, it shows great concern when any problem occurs,
especially when exposed to leaving work, so there must be work for women to
face such problems.
·
Feeling
responsible and boosting morale:
Financially independent people are more able to rely on themselves and make
their own decisions, and this increases their ability to face the problems and
pressures of life with high confidence, and many non-working women depend on
their parents, spouses, or brother to achieve Those things, while a working
woman can fulfill her desires and buy what she wants without relying on her
relatives being financially independent.
·
Reducing
the feeling of powerlessness:
Some people may be exposed to abuse as a result of dependence on others to
obtain money and meet needs, so the woman must be financially independent
because this helps her not to depend on others and thus not feel powerless.
·
Considering
working women as a role model:
a woman who can support the needs of her family in various financial, emotional
and social aspects can be considered a role model and good role model for her
children, as it is an inspiration for younger girls, as this stimulates their
ambition to work and their quest for self-sufficiency When they grow up.
Benefits of a woman's work:
brings many
benefits that accrue to her community and her place of work, including:
·
Sustainable
development: This is
achieved through women's work and participation in supporting the economy and
bridging the gender gap in work. Among the most important goals of sustainable
development to be achieved during women's work: ending poverty, achieving food
security and health care, and providing good and decent work opportunities for
all.
·
Supporting
the nation's economy and development:
Women work helps increase both domestic product and economic diversification,
and leads to equal income between men and women and many other positive
development outcomes.
·
Supporting
commercial businesses: This
occurs through improving organizational performance, whereby commercial
companies can benefit from the principle of economic equality for women and
thus increase employment opportunities for them and give them leadership
positions, and this, in turn, is reflected in increased economic growth and
increased organizational effectiveness, and estimates have shown that the
institutions that It includes three or more women who hold senior positions in
the management of the institution that is better than other institutions in all
aspects of organizational performance.
·
Increasing
the financial performance of the institution: The institutions in which women assume the highest positions
are financially superior, as the company reaches a higher sales percentage and
consequently an increase in profits compared to the institutions in which men
hold the highest positions, and studies indicate that the institutions that
include both sexes have their revenues Higher than the less diversified
institutions.
·
Making
the workplace better:
Studies have shown that increasing the proportion of women in the workplace
helps to make the work environment better; as this leads to a higher rate of
job satisfaction, more dedication to work and more meaningful work, and women
also have an important role in stimulating Employees and encourage them to work
and raise the efficiency of employees, by creating an interactive and friendly
work environment that encourages employees to make their best efforts to
develop the organization.
·
Narrowing
the skills gap:
Institutions sometimes suffer from the problem of employees not having the
necessary skills for work, and employers seek to narrow the skills gap between
employees, and the possibility of narrowing this gap in institutions that have
a higher percentage of women in its staff has been demonstrated, because levels
of education Among non-working women, it is higher compared to men, and this,
in turn, affects the ability to have the skills necessary to work.
·
Flexibility
in the workplace: The
increase in the number of working women prompted employers to provide new
facilities in the workplace, to achieve a balance between family and
professional life, such as providing places for child care, setting up ATMs in
the workplace and other facilities that did not exist before Women come to
work, which men have also benefited from.
·
Working
in a team spirit: The
presence of women in the workplace helps to build a distinguished team because
of their ability to solve problems well. Women also have high skills in forming
relationships and interacting with others and appreciating their efforts in the
workplace, which contributes to increasing the productivity of the institution.
Ways to stimulate women's work
There are many
effective ways to enhance women's work. These methods can be summarized as
follows:
·
Continuous
guidance: Providing
opportunities from the manager of the institution or company is important to
mentor women working in them professionally and constantly train them.
·
Care
and support from the direct supervisor: The woman needs attention and care at work, especially when
she can prove herself, but she needs someone to support her to overcome the
problems she faces.
·
Diversification
in the system of rewards:
The financial reward for the achievement of a woman’s superior achievement is
important, but some other rewards and incentives are useful to women, such as
giving them a day of paid leave, which enables them to pursue their personal
affairs or obtain a rest.
·
Providing
an opportunity for women to lead projects: Providing an opportunity for women to take over the tasks of
a specific project or several projects helps to develop itself and excel in the
future.
·
Developing
women's skills: It can
benefit from the principle that continuous learning is an investment, and women
may not have the opportunity to develop their skills outside the scope of work
due to the responsibilities that lie with them, so it is beneficial for any
company or institution to develop and hone the job skills of their workers by
implementing specific programs for that in Working hours.
·
Shedding
light on distinguished women:
many women occupy secretarial and administrative tasks and as an executive
assistant in the institution and others, and these jobs are described as the
lifeblood of any institution because of its importance in continuing the work,
and because it needs continuous activity from workers, so it is important to
devote time to honor those Female workers formally face co-workers.
·
Expressing
appreciation: Women often
try to do their jobs well to get appreciation, and it is important to
appreciate women at every stage of the job.
·
Equity
in the distribution of rewards:
It is important in any institution to set clear criteria for evaluating its
employees based on it and thus distribute the rewards among those entitled to
them fairly, and without the employee feeling whether a man or a woman has any
injustice