Examples of Gender Bias You May Encounter in the Workplace
If you’re concerned about gender bias at work, you’re not alone. A 2011 Gallup poll shows that 68% of women believe that gender bias exists in the workplace, and 60% say they’ve experienced it themselves. Here are 10 examples of gender bias that can often be found in the workplace.
Female candidate gets hired
Although women have made great strides in the workplace over the past few decades, gender bias is still a reality in many workplaces. Here are 3 examples of gender bias you may encounter in the workplace
- A female employee is passed up for promotion because she doesn’t act like a man.
- female employees don’t get as much pay or benefits as their male counterparts.
- The hiring manager or human resources director just assumed that there were no qualified female candidates to fill the open position and didn’t bother to look any further.
Male candidate gets the job over the female candidate
When it comes to gender bias in the workplace, sometimes it’s overt and sometimes it’s subtle. Here are 10 examples of gender bias you may encounter in your career
- Male candidate gets the job over female candidate
- Less money for same work done by woman
- Frequent interruptions during meetings by man
- Hiring more men than women for a company event
Male manager steals ideas from a female employee
It’s no secret that gender bias exists in the workplace. Though it may not be as overt as it once was, it can still be a problem for women trying to advance in their careers. Here are 10 examples of gender bias you may encounter in the workplace -Male manager steals ideas from female employee
- Higher standards for appearance placed on female employees
- Boys’ toys vs girls’ toys at company holiday party
- Gender stereotypes on job postings
- Male managers who won’t promote women because they don’t want to deal with maternity leave or pregnancy
A man makes life hard for a woman at work
It’s no secret that gender bias exists in the workplace. Here are 10 examples of how it may manifest – A male colleague refuses to share equally when dividing tasks, interrupting a woman during a meeting, or not taking her ideas seriously
- Male colleagues don’t return women’s social gestures and make them feel uncomfortable with sexual jokes and innuendos
- Men take credit for a woman’s idea
- A male supervisor belittles female employees by shouting, giving them more menial tasks, telling sexist jokes in front of them, or objectifying their bodies
Woman cat-called by men on her way to work
It’s 8am and you’re on your way to work. You’re wearing your favorite power suit and you feel like you can take on the world. As you walk down the street, you notice a group of men across the street staring at you. As you get closer, they start to cat-call you. Hey baby, looking good! Come over here, we’ll show you a good time! You keep walking, trying to ignore them, but their words make your skin crawl.
Man takes credit for all woman’s ideas/work
This is a classic example of gender bias in the workplace. When a man takes credit for a woman’s ideas or work, it not only devalues her contribution but also reinforces the notion that men are better and more competent than women. This can be extremely frustrating and discouraging for the woman involved and can make it difficult for her to continue to contribute and be heard.
Preferential treatment based on gender
Unfortunately, gender bias is still alive and well in many workplaces. This can manifest itself in a number of ways, from preferential treatment based on gender to assumptions about ability or interests. Here are ten examples of gender bias you may encounter in your career
1) Asking women their marital status when interviewing them for jobs: The assumption that married women with children will have less time to work than single women without children is outdated and discriminatory.
2) Expecting more of females than males: One way this manifests itself is by expecting females to behave appropriately at all times while not requiring males.
