Prejudice and Bias Against Women in the Workplace

*Image Source: Pixabay

Last week, we spoke about how women must fight to be recognized as leader… Today, let me talk to you about Prejudice and Bias Against Women in the Workplace, with prospects and clients. I will also talk about entrepreneurial mindset and how women are welcome…  Let’s start with an example.

A top job opening is announced as vacant as the former top executive resigned due to a health issue. Two employees are highly qualified for the position. Consider Adam and Eve. Both Adam and Eve graduated with high honors in a local public community college nearby. Both are middle-level executives who have been trained for the same number of years. Both are exceptionally great at their work, they perform well. Both have children to raise. Eve, on the other hand, created a system that has revamped the workflow of the company. Everybody recognizes her unique contribution and everyone recognizes how professional and competent she is… Then comes the day of the promotion. Adam is chosen. 

Prejudice and bias against women in the workplace is a critical issue. With male-dominated employees in ‘manly’ jobs, gender biases are easy to overlook. The workplace can become stressful with employees suing the company. However, females being prejudiced is gender bias. Discrimination should not exist anymore in institutions. 

Women Being Prejudiced As Job Prospects

Refinery29 reported a study that a small weight gain affects a woman’s job prospects.

A team-up between researchers of the University of Strathclyde and the University of Toronto was formed to conduct an experiment that had 120 participants who pretended they were recruiters.

All of these 120 subjects were shown a selection of 16 “test faces.” Some of these were photoshopped to create a heavier appearance. Respondents were asked to rate on how they would hire a person based on appearance.

PLOS One Journal published that women who were slightly heavier but still maintaining a healthy BMI faced weight-based prejudice against men who were really overweight.

Women Prejudiced as Clients

Women entrepreneurs also are prejudiced as clients because of their gender. Women who work in conventional` fields dominated by men face more challenges in being accepted by clients. Prospects often do not have the same trust and confidence with female clients, according to Ranjini Poddar, the president and co-founder of Cedar Knolls.

Despite this struggle, Poddar is motivated to work harder. She sees the industry as highly competitive. Thus, she believes that results count, per a post in Entrepreneur.

Women Prejudiced as Superior

In the past five decades, the number of women who take leadership roles in the workplace has been improved. However, even though the number of female employees in middle-level positions is growing, most top positions are globally still occupied by males.

Women face social and corporate issues, according to a commentary in Inquiries Journal. Society dictates that women should perform domestic obligations. Nowadays, it seems that there is a marginal decrease in their household tasks.

Corporate structures significantly influence the breaking through of women in corporate leadership. Males dominate the highest rung of the corporate ladder. Women’s domestic tasks decrease their time to dedicate in commitment to work. Men find it less interesting to welcome new female leaders into their field.

Conclusion

Women do face prejudice in the workplace. Whether it is in appearance, as a client, as a superior, women face more challenges being respected just because of the sex they were born into.

Adam and Eve had the same qualifications. Adam was promoted even with Eve’s unique contribution to the company. Some may say Adam had other qualities that were better off than Eve…. Some may also say Eve was a victim of prejudice as a woman.

As a recruiter, past employee and manager, believe me, I know what I’m talking about!