Women vs. Women in the Workplace
Attention LUX Nation! We here at LadyLUX feel the need to shed light on a recent trend in the workplace. Our aim is to unite women everywhere to stand together as one. As women we have had to struggle for equal rights, equal pay and equal say. Therefore, our hope for the future is that we are able to better work together synergistically and to not become our own worst enemy.
The landscape of the workforce has taken a huge shift in composition over the years with women now making up 50% of manager level positions and about 15% filling executive level suites. Although the number of women at senior level positions is still not proportional we have come along way in 50 years!!! 
Although, there are many advancements we can be proud of, the battle doesn’t end here. Many things have remained the same and still need to change. To this day, women still do not get equal wages for equivalent work to men. We tend to have to work longer hours and twice as much to gain the same amount of respect, regardless of our corporate position. With all of this uphill battle why are we then fighting against ourselves?!?
For instance, were you aware of a recent article in the New York Times that reported ‘40% of bullies in the workplace are women’!?! We were shocked to also find out that 70% of this group geared their behavior to other women. What does all this mean? Why are we attacking our own kind in the workforce?
Bullying involves verbal or psychological forms of aggressive (hostile) behavior that persists for six months or longer. –Joel H. Neuman, Researcher at the State University of New York, NYtimes.com
Many experts speculate to the cause of such behavior, stating that the workplace environment rewards aggression and creates competiveness and for women to be successful they have to play by the rules of the game. Others say that we were taught to ‘fight’ for attention from others as women stemming all the way back to trying to get our own parents attention. While research in this area continues, the fact is that women to women relationships need to be repaired to further advance the way we work together and basically live together.
As women we have the option to look at other women as allies or enemies and although, we don’t believe that gender should play a role in promotions, we do believe that supporting each other in the workplace could impact how we are seen as a whole. The saying, ‘Together we stand, divided we fall’ comes to mind. Which side will you stand for? We encourage you today to examine your own behavior and see how you can find a way to extend the olive branch out to a fellow female colleague! One step at a time we can eliminate this unnecessary conflict between us. Embrace the strength within to empower your fellow female LUXies!!!
Tagged in: collaboration, support, competition, workplace, conflict, resolution, gender differences, ny times, bullying, fight, women vs. women, equality,
