An initiative for anti-sexist workplaces in Hungary

’Yeah! We’re open’, an initiative founded by tech companies in 2013 launched in Hungary, with the purpose of mobilizing companies in order to fight everyday sexism and gender inequality in workplaces, writes divany.hu.

The aim of ’Yeah!We’re open’ is to help empoyers in creating a work environment that is supportive of every employee, regardless of gender, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity. This might seem natural for those who are working for Prezi.com or Essilor, but a great number of Hungarian workers experience some kind of discrimination in their workplaces.

31% of women and 25% of men think that there is differentiation between the sexes when it comes to promoting an employee. 37% of women and 24% of men see that this differentiation applies to the salaries, too. In fact, they are right, as recent data of Eurostadt shows that Hungarian men earn an average of 20.1% more than women do in the same position. This shows a 4% bigger wage gap in Hungary than the EU average. Furthermore, 28% of women feel that they are discriminated against in meetings as well, as they are not treated the same way as their male co-workers are. Generalizing remarks are also usual in many workplaces, according to divany.hu, 16% of the respondents experienced it, and 15% reported getting an offer of a sexual kind.

International studies show that the more heterogeneous the manager sector is at a company, the more successful it proves to be. As a research, conducted by examining Forbes’ top 500 companies proved, those companies which had at least 3 female menagers had some 84% higher sales returns than the ones which hired only male managers. This does not neccessarily mean that women are smarter or better leaders than men, it means that a mixed group of leaders knows the needs of the customers more, therefore their products and services address more people. This success results from the different mentality of women and men, a more responsible conduct and a more conscious risk taking.

’Yeah!We’re open’ has reached 800 organisations and companies so far, all of which took on acceptances they will have to accomplish in one year’s time. Such acceptances can be introducing part-time job opportunities, giving a choice to the employers to organize their worktime for themselves or a bus service to help parents pick up their children from kindergarten or school.

Companies like Auchan, GE Hungary, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley, Microsoft and Sziget joined the initiative, and of course, the three founding members: Prezi.com, Essilor and Google state that they treat their employees fairly and that they will adapt to their worker’s needs.

It is important to see – says divany.hu – that the advantages this initiative brings are not only for women, ’Yeah!We’re open’ provides better, more humane workplaces for men as well.

based on article of divany.hu
translated by Laura Kocsis

Photo: Nemo

Source: http://divany.hu/