Practical Ways to Challenge Gender Bias at Work

The theme of International Women’s Day 2022 is to #BreakTheBias against women. The thing about bias is it’s often unconscious so we don’t notice the thoughts or behaviours that perpetuate inequality. However, when you look at the cumulative impact - for instance the gender pay gap or representation of women in leadership roles - it’s clear this unconscious thinking is having a harmful impact.

9 in 10 of us have a bias against women. Rather than spending time convincing ourselves we’re that 1 in 10, let's focus on what can be done to mitigate these biases and collectively fight for equality. So this International Women’s Day, take some time to reflect on what you can do as an individual. Gender equality starts with the everyday decisions we make. We all have influence and if we want to reach equality, everyone needs to be fighting the same cause.

In their book, “What Works for Women at Work”, Joan C Williams and Rachel Dempsey found that there were 4 common types of bias that show up for women at work. We’re going to look at these biases in more detail to help in identifying them and offer some ways that you can respond to #BreakTheBias. It’s important to note, this is not a comprehensive list and there are many more ways women are negatively impacted by gender bias. But being able to identify these 4 patterns and most importantly, action you can take against them, is a good place to start.

Prove It Again Bias

What is it? Women having to prove themselves time and time again. 

What does it look like? A woman being evaluated more harshly than a man. A woman is judged on past performance, whereas a man is judged on potential.

What can I do to Break the Bias? 

• Ask for a second opinion, if you think you’ve not been credited or you’ve evaluated a woman’s performance unfairly.

• Keep track of others' accomplishments and successes, so they don’t have to prove it again.

• Advocate for women publicly and credit their good ideas.

• Speak up for women but don’t speak over them.

• Ask yourself: Do I have different expectations of women to men? 

Maternal Wall Bias

What is it? The challenges faced by women who have children and also the challenges faced by women who don’t have children

What does it look like? A new Mum not being told about a new opportunity for fear of overwhelming her or a woman without children being expected to work longer hours.

What can I do to Break the Bias? 

• Don’t make assumptions about how someone is doing, involve them in communication and let them decide if they have capacity.

• Let them know you’re here to support and, if you’re a manager, ask if they need any adjustments.

• Be flexible with the way you work, people work best in different ways.

• Ask yourself: Am I expecting the same of women who have children as I am of  those who don’t? Am I treating mothers and fathers equally?

Tightrope Bias

What is it? Balancing the need to be liked (feminine) whilst also being assertive and respected (masculine).

What does it look like? Women are expected to be friendly and accommodating, often taking on extra office housework.

What can I do to Break the Bias?

• Make sure office housework (tasks like taking notes in a meeting) is rotated. If you see the same people are asked to take on extra tasks like arranging gifts/lunches, speak up and offer to take it on instead.

• If you hear someone criticising a woman's way of communicating (too bossy, too emotional) you could question if they'd criticise a man in the same way. Bring the focus back to how they do their job.

• Encourage women to speak up and voice their opinions. Emphasise the importance of lifting voices of those from marginalised groups.

• Ask yourself: Am I expecting women to behave in a certain way? Am I in any way uncomfortable with women in senior roles?

Tug of War Bias

What is it? When gender bias creates conflict between women.

What does it look like? Women being made to feel in competition with one another because there’s only room for one “queen bee”.

What can I do to Break the Bias?

• Communicate: if you feel there is conflict between another colleague then address it and let them know how you feel. If you notice conflict within your team, then consider speaking with the individuals to see if you can support them.

• Don’t make assumptions about what someone might be going through and don’t avoid conversations which may be ‘uncomfortable’.

• Keep this conversation going, awareness is the first step to mitigating bias.

• Advocate for women and publicly show your support.

• Continue to hire and promote more women, there’s strength in numbers!

• Ask yourself: Am I making judgements of others? Try to see from their perspective.

These are just a few of the ways you can take action against the biases women face. What action will you commit to? Share with a friend or colleague and encourage them to do the same, to hold each other accountable. We’d love to hear what action you plan to take, let us know in the comments below and let’s remember to keep this conversation going after International Women’s Day.

Squash use drama to challenge gender bias in the workplace. In our workshops, we use a similar format of “What’s the problem? What does it look like? What can I do to take action?” Drama engages hearts and minds, acting as a catalyst for behaviour change and inspiring people to make a difference. If you’re looking for a refreshing approach to gender bias, get in touch. It’s time to Squash.