HR is a woman’s world, we are told. Except, that is, when you get to the top. Or near the top. Or even perhaps as close as halfway to the top.
Because, as is true of most professions – from hairdressers to High Court judges – the world of work was made by men for… er… men.
How could a woman possibly press a button with the same amount of pent up anger as a male employee? Is it possible for a woman to shuffle papers during a meeting, cough a bit and then nip down the pub in time to meet the lads from sales? And there’s surely no way ‘a mere girl’ could possibly make an executive decision about anything – unless it involves nappies or make up.
But I apologise. I don’t know what came over me. I should know my place.
There I was daring to believe that equality laws mean that women should have equal status to their male counterparts and, perhaps, equal pay.
It hasn’t happened yet, and judging by the bleating in the pages of Personnel Today (13 December, Letters) and in the wider national press, the idea of women earning as much as 70% of the amount paid to a man doing the same job is clearly a bridge too far.
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But it’s good that men are getting in touch with their feminine side – crying about what a tough time they are having earning more money, getting more bonuses, more recognition and generally being fast-tracked into senior positions.
And we women should be supporting them, not trying to carve out our own careers. The boys can’t help it, you know – it’s their hormones. And don’t forget there are children to be reared and houses to be managed. After all, a woman’s work is never done… by a man.
