Beyond Glass Ceilings and Brick Walls - International Labour ...

structures provided the required support. However, as the nuclear family
becomes more common, the members of the nuclear family will need to
share roles in order to make women perform effectively in their multiple
roles.
Among younger families, there is a greater tendency for men to share in the
domestic chores. Yet, the overall social institutions that help families understand
their multiple roles, responsibilities and rights are not developed effectively in
the country to provide the required information or guidance. Women often
suffer as a result of an inability to cope. With the pressure of multiple
responsibilities and labour this in turn adds to the reinforcement of gender
stereotyping i.e. that women can’t do their job properly. Although the family
has an important influence on the productivity and well-being of individual
employees, organizations or employers are not proactive in providing the
necessary support or information in this domain. The family is treated as strictly
private and not as a social institution that needs to be understood and improved.
In some organizations outside the sample of case studies, functions and activities
are organized for family members to develop greater camaraderie and a sense of
community. However, this is not a common practice. These programmes have
great potential for improvement and institutionalizing gender concern.
7. Organizational Culture
All organizations have their own unique culture. Some organizations are
conscious of this. They define and nurture certain values, practices and
behaviour and take action to preserve the organizational culture. Such
organizations have well-articulated visions, goals and plans with decisive
leadership that direct the organizations towards their long-term goals. In
other organizations this aspect is neither recognized nor managed effectively.
The manner in which women are perceived, stereotyped, and related to
is also part of the organizational culture. In most organizations of the
study, women in senior management positions were not a problem for
male subordinates. But in all organizations there was an expected model
of behaviour and personality that was thought to be appropriate for women
managers. Such expectations are there for men too. The constraint is that
the gendered stereotype of women as mangers may act as an invisible
barrier for women to get into management positions, if they do not conform
to these expectations.
The manner in which people interact, interpersonal relationship patterns,
organizational hierarchy, social communication systems, methods of decisionmaking
and symbols of identity are aspects of the organizational culture.
The manner in which people are treated and the way in which they relate to
each other is a valuable part of organizational culture as it has a direct
bearing on the wellbeing of women employees. Gender sensitive and supportive
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