Selected Signs of Discrimination as Perceived by Women Employees of Polish Companies: A Self-Study Research Account

The issue of unequal treatment of employees and prevention of discrimination in the workplace is frequently under the public debate. Due to its complexity, discrimination draws the attention of a wide range of people from theoreticians to practitioners in the field of management, and - first of all - the people influenced by this negative phenomenon. The objective of this article is to present the experience of women employed in Polish enterprises in the scope of their contact with the cases of unequal treatment during their professional career, as well as to diagnose the possible reasons for the occurrence of discrimination in the workplace. The article shows the result of the research concerning the frequency of cases of unequal treatment of women in their professional life, the level of knowledge of the rights possessed by discriminated people, and the selected manifestations of discrimination in the workplace. The research covered 327 women employed in 12 deliberately selected innovative enterprises where they hold managerial and specialist posts, located in different areas of operation of enterprise. The enterprises covered by the research are located throughout Poland. The conclusions arising from the research constitute practical recommendations which may be applied by the managerial staff and their subordinates in organisations of different types operating in Poland and abroad.