Gender Bias Has a Newer, Concealed Identity:
Women Leaders Report More Subtle Gender Bias in Male-Dominated Workplaces
BLOG POST BY SEPI PARVIZIAN
Women leaders have long been subject to overt forms of gender bias, such as mistreatment and discrimination, in the workplace (McDonald, 2012). However, in recent years societal norms have shifted and human resource departments have developed formal policies and procedures to protect employees against these issues (Salles et al., 2019). This does not mean that the issues facing women have been resolved and that women leaders do not regularly experience gender biases in the workplace. Instead, today, gender biases are more subtle in nature.
New research suggests that while issues of gender bias towards women leaders may be decreasing in female-dominated or gender diverse workplaces, issues of subtle gender bias may remain more prominent for women in male-dominated workplaces (Parvizian, 2020). Specifically, women leaders who work in male-dominated workplaces may report greater perceptions of subtle gender bias (i.e., the double bind and silencing) than others.
Source: Ipsos
The double bind occurs when women leaders are expected to display communal behaviours that are synonymous with their gender (e.g., warm, nurturing, and kind) while at the same time displaying agentic behaviours that are synonymous with leadership (e.g., assertive, self-confident, and strong) (Koenig et al., 2011).
Common thoughts or subconscious beliefs associated with the double bind include that it is not acceptable for women to assume leadership roles as often as men, that a woman must sacrifice some of her femininity in order to be a successful leader, and that women are not ambitious enough to be successful in the working world.
Silencing occurs when women’s ideas and suggestions are interrupted, overlooked, or disregarded in the workplace (Dice, 2018). For example, women’s ideas in the workplace are more likely to be negatively scrutinized and may be ignored until they have been restated by a man (Diehl & Dzubinski, 2016). When women speak, they are also more likely to be interrupted (Hancock & Rubin, 2015), which suggests that women’s input is not as highly valued.
Source: OSTILL
Consequences of subtle gender bias
Perceptions of the double bind or silencing may have consequences for women leaders. The double bind may negatively impact women’s performance evaluations, project assignments, access to leadership development programs, and workplace social interactions (International Labour Organization, 2015). Silencing may be detrimental to how women view themselves and their own ideas. For example, women may report feeling apprehensive about speaking too much in meetings or other situations in fear of backlash or appearing too controlling (Brescoll, 2011). Individuals who report subtle forms of bias may also report a variety of negative career-related outcomes, such as greater stress levels and turnover intentions, and lower job performance, career satisfaction, and career success (Jones et al., 2016).
What about men?
On the other hand, the gender diversity climate of men’s workplaces has not been shown to affect their experiences (Parvizian, 2020). In fact, some research indicates that men who work in female-dominated workplaces may experience benefits. For example, men in non-traditional occupations are likely to encounter a phenomenon known as the glass escalator (Williams, 1992), wherein they have an easier time excelling into the top positions of an organization and often experience more benefits – such as better pay – despite being in the minority (Dill et al., 2016).
We’re not there yet – how can things change?
Ultimately, organizations should aim to dismantle the unconscious biases that perpetuate male-dominated leadership teams and workplaces by requesting gender-balanced lists of candidates and conducting blind candidate reviews (Abouzahr et al., 2017). Such workplaces and teams may also have advantages for organizations as a whole. For example, gender diverse leadership teams have been associated with increased innovation, which in turn may help organizations foster new ideas and worthwhile changes (McKinsey & Company, 2015). Organizations with gender diverse leadership teams are also more likely to have employees that agree with the mission and purpose of their organization, feel that their organization is going in the right direction, and recommend their organization to others (Peakon, 2019).
References
Abouzahr, K., Krentz, M., Tracey, C., & Tsusaka, M. (2017). Dispelling the myths of the gender ambition gap. Retrieved from https://www.bcg.com/en-ca/publications/2017/people-organization-leadership-change-dispelling-the-myths-of-the-gender-ambition-gap
Brescoll, V. L. (2011). Who takes the floor and why: Gender, power, and volubility in organizations. Administrative Science Quarterly, 56, 622-641. doi:10.1177/0001839212439994
Dice. (2018). Diversity and Inclusion Report 2018. Retrieved from https://marketing.dice.com/pdf/2018-06_DiceDiversity_InclusionReport_FINAL.pdf
Diehl, A. B., & Dzubinski, L. M. (2016). Making the invisible visible: A cross‐sector analysis of gender-based leadership barriers. Human Resource Development Quarterly, 27, 181-206. doi:10.1002/hrdq.21248
Dill, J. S., Price-Glynn, K., & Rakovski, C. (2016). Does the “glass escalator” compensate for the devaluation of care work occupations? The careers of men in low- and middle-skill health care jobs. Gender & Society, 30, 334-360. doi:10.1177/0891243215624656
International Labour Organization. (2015). Women in business and management: Gaining momentum. Retrieved from https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/—dgreports/—dcomm/—publ/documents/publication/wcms_316450.pdf
Jones, K. P., Peddie, C. I., Gilrane, V. L., King, E. B., & Gray, A. L. (2016). Not so subtle: A meta-analytic investigation of the correlates of subtle and overt discrimination. Journal of Management, 42, 1588-1613. doi:10.1177/0149206313506466
Koenig, A. M., Eagly, A. H., Mitchell, A. A., & Ristikari, T. (2011). Are leader stereotypes masculine? A meta-analysis of three research paradigms. Psychological Bulletin, 137, 616-642. doi:10.1037/a0023557
McDonald, P. (2012). Workplace sexual harassment 30 years on: A review of the literature. International Journal of Management Reviews, 14, 1-17. doi:10.1111/j.1468-2370.2011.00300.x
McKinsey & Company. (2015). How advancing women’s equality can add $12 trillion to global growth. Retrieved from https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/employment-and-growth/how-advancing-womens-equality-can-add-12-trillion-to-global-growth
Parvizian, S. (2020). Barriers to the C-suite: The impact of perceptions of gender bias on women leaders’ senior leadership ambitions [Unpublished master’s thesis]. Carleton University.
Peakon. (2019). The Strategic Benefits of Women in Leadership. Retrieved from https://peakon.com/blog/workplace-culture/strategic-benefits-women-leadership/
Salles, A., Awad, M., Goldin, L., Krus, K., Lee, J. V., Schwabe, M. T., & Lai, C. K. (2019). Estimating implicit and explicit gender bias among health care professionals and surgeons. JAMA Network Open, 2, e196545-e196545. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.6545
Williams, C. L. (1992). The glass escalator: Hidden advantages for men in the “female” professions. Social Problems, 39, 253-267.