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FACTORS THAT AFFECT THE PRODUCTIVITY OF WOMEN EMPLOYEES IN ORGANISATION

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

A careful observation in recent past reveals that, these has been a phenomenal increase in the member of women in various segment of labour both in the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy over the past few decades, hitherto, what used to be exclusively the male preserved professions have now been invaded in large number by career-seeking women. The field of architecture, law, management, medicine, engineering, banking and finance, accounting, politics, just to mention few, have all recorded a tremendous patronage by the womenfolk. The slow, but gradual inroad made by women in these male-dominated areas could be attributed to some socio-cultural factors, which were commonly the accepted traditional norms in most African Countries.

Until relatively recently, as a result of pervasive western cultural influence, the African women expected, not only to bear and rear children to satisfaction of their spouses, they were also expected to exhibit absolute submissiveness to their traditional home, and as such, they had no say in the management and upbringing of their family members. However, that concept has now change for the better, unlike in the past when women duties were said to be restricted and confined to the kitchen, the women now has at least a dual role of performing their domestic duties at home and that of caring out their office functions. Women now acquire education and training which prepare them fully to become better house-keepers and at the same time to assume higher position of authority in the organisations. Though women are often referred to as weaker sex, they have not been lacking behind in their chosen career, competitiveness, efficiency, aggressiveness, and marked distinction have often been demonstrated in the performance of various duties to the satisfaction and admiration of their male counterparts.

The popular saying, what a man can do a woman can even more better, appears to be fast gaining acceptance among the generality of the public, apparently due to the marvelous and outstanding performance of women In their various callings, to mention a few, professor (Mrs.) Dora Akunyill Director-General of National Agency for food, Drugs Administration and control (NAFDAC), Dr. Okereke Onyuike, Director General of Nigerian Stock Exchange and lot of others. Perhaps, due to the present unfavourable economic realities of our time, women have intensified efforts to seek paid employment or engage in various businesses to supplement their husband effort in day-to-day running of the family, now show that women have increasingly important roles to play in the management of organisations.

It is therefore imperative for women to be properly integrated into the system in order for them to advance to the top management positions in their various corporate organisations. In spite of the enormous achievement made, observation show that certain constraints do militate against the level of labour productivity of the womenfolk in the day-to-day performance of their jobs. Some of these factors have been identified as intrinsic in nature, which most women cannot do without. They include, but are not limited to pregnancy and maternity period. It is these areas that the men folk have an advantage of occupying top management positions in the organisation over women. Given the above realities of the situation, the purpose of study therefore centered on the need to identify those related factors that affect the productivity of women in organisation and proffer solutions to productivity at work.