Business Ethic Paper!!!
Maoxiaoying
jacobspadovic.pptxBusiness Ethics
The “Sticky Floor”
| Some problems caused by the “Glass Ceiling” | Some problems caused by the “Sticky Floor” |
| Women find it harder to advance to the highest positions in a company than men. The long hours and inflexible schedules of the highest positions present a problem for women who want a work-life balance– especially if they have children. A woman’s career advancement can also be interrupted by pregnancy leave whereas a man’s often is not– or an employer can decide that hiring a woman for a top position is too risky because she may become pregnant. |
| Some problems caused by the “Glass Ceiling” | Some problems caused by the “Sticky Floor” |
| Women find it harder to advance to the highest positions in a company than men. The long hours and inflexible schedules of the highest positions present a problem for women who want a work-life balance– especially if they have children. A woman’s career advancement can also be interrupted by pregnancy leave whereas a man’s often is not– or an employer can decide that hiring a woman for a top position is too risky because she may become pregnant. | Women are over-represented in part-time jobs that offer low wages and no job security. Low-wage workers face the opposite problem of their job schedules being unpredictable and not getting enough hours to make decent money. Low-wage workers are also often punished for showing up late, calling in sick, asking for scheduling accommodations, or simply irritating their boss by having their hours cut. Low-wage workers are often one emergency away from no longer being able to get by. |
| Some solutions to problems caused by the “Glass Ceiling” | Some solutions to problems caused by the “Sticky Floor” |
| Providing more scheduling flexibility and requiring fewer hours in the office in order to promote work-life balance. Offering pregnancy leave and not punishing women for taking it—and hiring women in spite of the risk that they may become pregnant. It should be noted that if these options are only offered to or used by women, there is a risk of a stigma being attached to taking them. |
| Some solutions to problems caused by the “Glass Ceiling” | Some solutions to problems caused by the “Sticky Floor” |
| Providing more scheduling flexibility and requiring fewer hours in the office in order to promote work-life balance Offering pregnancy leave and not punishing women for taking it—and hiring women in spite of the risk that they may become pregnant It should be noted that if these options are only offered to or used by women, there is a risk of a stigma being attached to taking them. | Non-gender specific policies that make low-wage work better for all low-wage workers, such as raising the minimum wage and tying it to inflation, guaranteeing a minimum number of hours per week, and union representation Fighting discrimination happening in low-wage jobs, not just the highest positions |
Debate Question
Do companies have an ethical (not legal) obligation to work to address these problems? (Meaning, are we right to say that companies that do not do so are morally wrong?)
If so, why, and what should they be doing?
If not, why, and are there any specific things they shouldn’t be doing?
