Summary
The research "Equal Opportunities on the Labour Market" was carried out on the public and private sector companies, as well as among the employees from the different companies in the Zagreb area in order to gain a better insight in the position of women on the labour market and more efficient monitoring of the implementation of the legal framework on gender equality. The goal (of the research) was to establish, whether and in which degree, the Labour Law and Law on gender equality are respected in the recruitment process, employment conditions, remuneration, education, career promotion, and to demonstrate the individual experiences of the employees, about "equal opportunities" on the labour market primarily in regard to gender, but also some other independent variables (for example: company ownership, educational structure of the employees and similar). Research was carried out with two separate questionnaires: one directed to the Personnel offices in the private and public sector companies and the other intended for employees of the private and public sector companies.
According to the results of the research, there is a significant difference between companies/institutions of the private and public sector regarding employment conditions, promotion and the employees? satisfaction at work.
Public sector companies provide higher social security (women utilize entire maternity leave, workers use daily break etc.), but with lower pay and less transparent recruitment process. Public sector companies employ more women and, according to the research, they mostly hold university degree, master?s degree and doctorate degree.
In the private sector companies the most important employment criteria are personal skills and prior acquaintance of the candidates. The pay in these companies is, in average, higher then in public sector companies, which enables a higher level of satisfaction of employees. Private sector companies have stricter conditions and work dynamic (fewer days off, no reduced working hours, employees do not know each others salary amounts; women do not use entire maternity leave etc.).
The survey addressed to private and public sector companies demonstrates almost ideal working conditions: no unjustified dismissal, no gender based discrimination, they all facilitate training and development for their workers; most of them adopted gender equality guidelines.
The data given by the public and private sector companies differs from the data given by the employees of those companies. Employees noted that half of the employers do not facilitate adequate training opportunities; there are cases of the gender-based discrimination and mobbing; there are cases of violation of their rights and there are cases of unjustified dismissals.
The examinees? answers show that women have more difficult situation at the labour market than men, especially ones with family obligations. Women experience more difficulties getting the job, they have to try harder to keep it and they are highly underrepresented in the managing positions of the companies. They are more frequently exposed to mobbing and violations of dignity (gender-based discrimination) than their male colleagues.
The research demonstrated that the examinees are not aware of "unequal opportunities" on the labour market. Most of them emphasize that the gender, marital and family status is not important for the employment, pay amount, education, career promotion etc. In spite of employees? lack of awareness, the research shows that objectively there are differences and "unequal opportunities" on the labour market - statistics show that men occupy most of the leading positions. Women mostly work in typically female occupations - social, educational, scientific or administrative services. These services are predominantly carried out in public companies, while men dominate in private sector. Family obligations are still mostly female duty affecting their promotion opportunities and job selection.
