They are responsible for taking care of the house, children, shopping, managing the bills, cooking, cleaning and also completing their daily work shifts.
They reinvent themselves, seeking balance and continue asia phone number list to become more protagonists in their personal and professional lives every day.
We spoke to 3 women of different ages, cultures and professional areas to understand how they see themselves professionally and how they balance other roles, such as wife, mother and friend.
Women in the corporate ecosystem
Historically, women have always played a secondary role on an economic and social level, and are currently experiencing a moment in which they are gaining a voice and place in female leadership , in a narrative in which many men still have a favored role in the professional world.
“ People told me I didn't need to negotiate or solve problems. I would respond that just because I’m a woman doesn’t mean I don’t need to negotiate, fight or clash with people ”, recalls Luciana Gallo – Financial Director of Empresa Nobre Cestas.
Many women still have difficulties entering the corporate world because they are seen as very sensitive in a role that they cannot impose themselves or decide on. Furthermore, some women end up leaving femininity aside to fit into roles that until then were only for men.
“At 15, I didn’t have the maturity I have today, so my first strategy was to imitate those men around me to try to be better than them.” Remember, Rebeca Toyama, Specialist in corporate education, career and financial well-being, in her career in the financial market.
A study carried out by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), even though women are the majority in Brazil, there is great gender inequality in the job market.
And it is in this scenario that they are still the ones who suffer most from the devaluation of their presence in the corporate ecosystem.
The Shadow of the Past
Women today are the result of a past social structure and structure, in which, in the colonial period, they were placed in the background without the opportunity for voice or decision-making.
Nowadays more than ever, women follow their professional path more diligently, aiming to achieve appreciation and recognition for their work, as they are inevitably compared to the male figure in the same ecosystem.
The corporate environment is still a sexist place, which makes it a more challenging environment for women who struggle to be accepted or heard. Furthermore, like Toyama, they tend to masculinize themselves to be part of the group and gain some space.
No matter how empowered and professional women seem to be nowadays, there is still a lot of machismo and prejudice to be broken within companies that believe that only men are capable of doing good work.
According to the Institute of Applied Economic Research (IPEA 2019), the female presence in the job market shows that the number of women between 17 and 70 years old employed in the country increased from 56.1% in 1992, to 61.6% in 2015, with projection to reach 64.3% in 2030, that is, 8.2 percentage points above the rate in 1992.
However, it is from this perspective that we see that there is a long and arduous path to be covered so that all women feel a greater opportunity for a place and space in the corporate ecosystem .
When we talk about the little space that women have in the workplace, it is prominently reported by Exame magazine that, among the 500 largest companies in the country, only 20 (or 4%) have a woman in charge – an even greater challenge for women black.
According to the Exame website , “the higher the hierarchical level, the greater the difficulty for women to overcome the gender barrier” , research by IBGE referring to 2015 to 2016.
Uneven Game
Women, by nature, have the ability to perform different tasks at the same time, and do so with efficiency and flexibility.
“In my position, whether professional or not, I deal with different types of people, and when dealing with these people it is necessary to find a balance in being adaptable and flexible” Explains Luciana Gallo.
With this in mind, they still seek balance in their tasks, whether personal or professional. However, managing this variety of tasks simultaneously can be exhausting. How to deal with this?
A study carried out by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics ( IBGE) helps to understand the difficulties that women face when entering the job market.
Women aged 25 to 49 with the presence of children up to 3 years of age living in the household are a relevant factor. The level of employment in the labor market among women who have children of this age is 54.6%, below the 67.2% of those who do not.
The situation is exactly opposite among men. Those who live with children up to 3 years old recorded an occupancy level of 89.2%, higher than the 83.4% of those who do not have children of that age.
The survey also shows that domestic work has increased. “ In Brazil, in 2019, women dedicated themselves to caring for people or doing household chores almost twice as much time as men (21.4 hours per week versus 11.0 hours).” IBGE 2019.
Women are still seen as the ones who must take care of the house and children, a scenario that has been repeated since the colonialist period, when they were marginalized from any and all political or economic activities, being culturally taught to be good mothers and good wives, as Their duties focused on domestic work and childcare.
One for You and Two for Me
The salary disparity is also a major factor when comparing the salary of a woman and a man in roles that ensure greater earnings.
Women received, on average, 77.7% of the amount earned by men. Among directors and managers, women received 61.9% of men's income. The percentage was also high in the group of science professionals and intellectuals: 63.6%. Data reported in a survey carried out by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics ( IBGE) in 2018.
In conjunction with the research, women still study more than men and work longer hours on domestic tasks, in addition, they receive lower salaries and have fewer positions of power.
In politics the scenario is even worse, with 10.5% of deputies in the Chamber being women. They were around 50.6% of the Brazilian population at the time of the research, according to IBGE.
The fight for gender equality continues, and there is still a long way to go before achieving parity in terms of wages, economics, culture, social status and everything that concerns everyday life.
It is essential that this issue is put on the agenda and that there is awareness and discussion about gender inequality and the appreciation of the female figure.
A Equilibrist
In addition to being in the race for space and equality, women also see themselves as acrobats in their social lives, looking for strategies to balance work, family and friends.
Where to find the balance you’ve been dreaming of?
“ It is necessary to be clear about what is really essential in life, differentiating the roles in which I am irreplaceable, from those in which I can be replaced, and thus know how to prioritize and distribute my time.” says Toyama.
The secret is the dosage and priority that you give in your daily life, as the popular expression goes, “not so much to the sea, not so much to the land”. However, work is the task that demands the most time in the day, so it is necessary to know how to distribute proportionally on the balance of life so as not to donate much more to one than to the other.
“ I always keep in touch with my support network, my friends, family. And I avoid letting work take over most of my life as much as possible. My work fulfills me, but my life is more important.” Says A to Paula Belo Macagnani, Designer and creator of the Pole Gordas project.
Balance lies in priorities: knowing when to throw yourself into work, recognizing the need for rest and sharing moments with those you love. This is an act of affection and respect towards yourself.
Super powers
Many women still need to demonstrate double the effort and professionalism if they want to grow and build a successful career. This just shows that there is still a long way to go.
However, the prominence of women who reach their spaces is notable , because balancing all aspects of life already makes them “Super Women”, and despite so many difficulties, desires and obstacles, women stand out wherever they are.
Whether they are artists, economists, mothers, doctors, researchers or inventors, they have the superpower to be whoever they want to be.
“ We need to be the first person to believe in ourselves. The day we women truly understand the essence of our role in the world, there will no longer be a need for battles, because by respecting the diversity that lives within ourselves and others, it will be easier to find the path to the sacred feminine.” Says Rebeca Toyama.