Gender equality still an issue in Chinese workplace
SOCIAL
By Zhang Ruijun

2017-02-26 22:59:21

By CGTN’s Sun Ye & Kang Kai 
Anyone can be a good programmer. All you need is a bit of logic, some conceptual thinking and attentiveness. 
Zhang Fang, an application developer from ThoughtWorks, a private-owned technology company, says that associating tech with just men is negative stereotype. That partly explains why she is happy with her current job ---- because she is not the only woman in the group. 
Zhang Fang, the developer who says anyone can be a good programmer.  /Sun Ye
Her company tries to recruit fresh graduates on a 1-on-1 gender basis, one of many measures here are female-friendly and good for business. 
Zhu Chunmei, the Human Resources director at ThoughtWorks told CGTN that “We've found women to be better communicators, and create stronger bonds in our project-oriented environment. Everyone works better when they are happy. 
There's also a much lower turnover rate among women --- they're 50 percent less likely to change jobs than a man. That saves a lot on our operational costs. Getting female employees is definitely good for the company.” 
 A 2016 Beijing Normal University report that says Chinese women are lagging in job opportunities and pay from their male counterpart. /Sun Ye
But not everyone realizes that. 
A 2016 report said that female college graduates are 10 percent less likely to be employed than male applicants. 
For their first jobs, women are generally around 500 yuan (72 US dollars) worse off per month than men. 
The trend for unequal earnings doesn't appear to even out over time. Statistics show that the average salary for women in Chinese cities is just 78 percent that of their male counterparts. To put it another way, women often have to work 16 months to earn what a man earns in 12. 
Zhang Fang is also committed in activities that promote social justice. /Zhang Fang
“Companies tend to worry about women giving birth and taking time off work. But bringing up the next generation is not just a woman's or her family's responsibility,” said Lai Desheng, director at the Labor Market Research Center at Beijing Normal University.
He said there is discrimination in the workplace but the situation is improving. 
“China is doing well internationally, with a relatively high percentage of women in the workplace," he said.  
For programmer Zhang, the dream is to have the freedom to try new things, be her own champion and be judged only by her work and not by her gender. 

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