Breaking Unconcious Bias Against Women At Work

The International Women's day has come and gone but the work to #BreakTheBias continues. If for nothing, the celebration has reignited the passion of many to fight against gender inequality and walk the work in ensuring women are not limited to realize their full potential in the corporate space.

 We all have unconscious biases! Recognizing these biases, especially gender bias, is a step to winning this battle. it takes a deliberate individual as well as collective effort to win this and achieve a world where both male and female are given equal opportunities to thrive and not be judged by their gender. 

In the corporate world, most of the harmful gender biases can be traced to HR practices, management processes and policies which include recruitment, training, pay gap, promotion, corporate culture, role assignment, performance evaluation and termination among others. 

In some part of the world, especially in Africa, men are most times paid higher because they are perceived as heads of their individual families and so, have more bills, married or not.

Let's discuss some selected areas organisations unconsciously practice gender bias at work. 

They are:

• Recruitment: When women are asked their marital status, number of children, mothering plans and sometimes, if/when they intend to have kids during interviews. These interviews most times, focus on the intellect, qualifications, job-related experience, ability and skills of male candidates but switch to personal wifely and motherly discussions when it's a female.

• Training: This usually occurs when travelling is involved and the excuse of being a 'female' 'married' or a 'mother' not minding her capability, power of choice or how such opportunities can help to upscale her career/business. 

• Pay Gap: This is often times not as a result of difference in position, qualification or capability but an unconscious gender bias. Research has shown that men are often paid more than their female counterparts in same position within same organisation as a result of gender.

• Promotion: Because men are perceived as being stronger, reliable, available and can easily access organisational sponsored trainings, they tend to be evaluated favourably and therefore, promoted to top management positions than their female colleagues who are equally as qualified, capable, reliable and available, thereby putting few women in management positions. 

• Termination:  There has been several reports of organisations in Africa, laying off large number of female staff during downsizing. Off the record, this may be due to the misconception that women have lesser bills or belong to the kitchen or should concentrate in building a home.

Ponder on these.

In the next episode, we will discuss how organisations and businesses can tackle gender inequality and contribute to #BreakTheBias within their space. 

Till then, keep breaking the bias in your little spaces.

Cheers!