ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2006 > June > 26 > Entry
Do gender biases still exist?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Gender is a biological thing! Yes! (Clenched fist pull down!) Thank goodness!!
But what’s the deal with gender differences in the workplace?
Some businesses used to be male dominated and may still be.
How is it for you women (and men)?
For the businesses that are no longer male dominated and used to be, how is it for you men? And women?
In some businesses, women dominate the workplace. What’s it like for you? YES, both of you?
Do men still have the upper hand when it comes to advancements/promotions compared to women? Is the good ‘ol boy network still alive and well?
I found that in business meetings when a man brings up an idea, he gets heard. Often when a woman brings up an idea, it’s passed by or down played.
Many times, the woman’s idea is brought up again at a later date by a man only to be listened to, and with the credit going to the man.
Hmmm!! What’s that about?
Or have “the tables turned” in some businesses? Meaning, in the scramble for companies to become “politically correct,” or have “diversity programs,” women are now getting more of the breaks, more of the pie!
Once during my career in the high tech industry, I joined a company whose sales force was woman dominated. I didn’t know it and I was in sales!
At the first national sales meeting, I freaked out! … I never did get into the good ‘ol girl network like I used to always get into the good ‘ol boy network.
When it comes to gender differences in the workplace, how do you fill in the blanks to: Men are from _, women are from _?
I have my opinion, but that’s for another blog!
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Nina
June 26, 2006 09:34 AM | Link to this
I have found my company in Atlanta to be very fair when it comes to diversity and gender. Our skills are actually taken into account when promotions and opportunities are available. However, my last company in S. Carolina was a good ole boys club alright. Women were never heard and could not get ahead. I left that company because the men were driving into the ground!
By LB
June 26, 2006 09:44 AM | Link to this
I have worked at several companies and have seen things lean toward women, men and equal. Of course I like equal the best. Even though I am a woman, I still don’t care much for a woman dominated company because a man’s viewpoint and expertise adds a lot of positive to the work place. The good old boys type of work place where women don’t have a chance is not for me either. I think men have a harder time finding a fit lately because a lot of companies are still trying to meet a minority and women worker quota. I’m glad companies are now realizing that the best fit is the best qualified and no quota has to be met. The quota thing has hurt many men in the past. Lately when I have applied for jobs online and a company writes back wanting my gender and race I will no longer consider those companies because they still favor (whomever) that will meet their gender/race quota and aren’t really interested in me.
By Larry
June 26, 2006 10:17 AM | Link to this
My 20-year-old son tried to get a job at a certain well-known chain of convenience stores. He was told he would have to cut his hair. He, of course, told them to shove off. Gender bias works both ways. This convenience store no longer gets my business even when their gas prices are the cheapest. C’mon, people, sex discrimination is either ok or it isn’t. Which is it?!?
By wayne
June 26, 2006 10:48 AM | Link to this
Larry,
There are a lot of large companies that try to project a professional image and thus would have a similar requirement. You should probably go ahead and veto UPS and pretty much every other corporate entity b/c they also would tell your son to get a haircut.
By alias
June 26, 2006 11:13 AM | Link to this
It definately exists at my office. One guy who I work with calls out sick at least one day each and every week. No one says anything to him, he still gets raises, paid vacation, etc, and he has only worked with the company for 3 years. Now, if it were me, (which I have a better work ethic), I would have been called into the bosses office, had my pay docked, been written up, etc. And I have been employed with the company for over 10 years.
By Barbara
June 26, 2006 11:14 AM | Link to this
I agree with all of what LB stated (except that I’ve never been asked to disclose my gender or race as part of an initial application for employment). I am female, 40 years old, and have been working in an office environment since I was 18. Even without a college education, I have been treated respectfully and my opinions have been sought by my male bosses, presidents and CEOs (of the smaller company I worked for), etc. I have seen certain people, and even sometimes a small group, that still harbor some “good ole boy” views, but I have also been denied a promotion because there was a quota and the job went to someone of a different, minority race. In general, if I don’t like the environment, I just change jobs. Most of the time, however, I get treated respectfully and have felt valued by all of the men I’ve worked for and with. I may have a naive view, but I believe that if you get into a job, roll up your sleeves and work along side of the others, then you will be rewarded based on your skills and not on your race or gender. It has worked for me in 4 different companies over 22 years. I acknowledge that there are still problems, but I think they are very limited.
By jlblank
June 26, 2006 11:20 AM | Link to this
I will tell you one place it is NOT the same. I was a successful manager, double digit years employed, constant awards, praise and promotion and I married a co worker. In six months I was laid off and he got a raise. My marriage to him was perceived by my peers to make me less effective as a manager, his marriage to me made him apprear more successful… It was quite a dissappointment.
By LHK
June 26, 2006 11:36 AM | Link to this
I worked for an organization that was an old boys’ club, though, funnily enough, the day-to-day work was all run by women. We were the accountants, the receptionists, the PR people, etc. But the few men in the company reaped all the benefits. All the men had company cars and were always going away on retreats to which the women were not invited. When one of the male employees had a disagreement with a female employee, he exacted petty revenge on her by making a false accusation about her to the company president. The result? The woman was suspended without pay, and the guy got a promotion. Sheesh.
That was just a few years ago, and it felt like I was working in a different era. It was so strange to encounter such blatant discrimination in the workplace, and, judging from my other working experiences, it’s rare for discrimination to be so dramatic. My current place of employment is fantastic, with both men and women having plenty of opportunities for advancement. We even have 2 CEOs — one male and one female.
By LaToya
June 26, 2006 11:40 AM | Link to this
Yes they do.Most are suttle and I am finding that ,as women, we do ourselves more harm than good because we tend to perpetuate them.
By Swangirl
June 26, 2006 11:50 AM | Link to this
I’m a female and I’ve worked at a handful of places over the last 12 years. Some were more fair than others.
I will say that at my last job, my male boss was stuck in a past era even though the company was female dominated. When I resigned from my job, he told everyone I was leaving to “have babies” when that was totally untrue. Another day, a female coworker was telling him she wanted to quit and he asked her if she was “having a bad hair day.” He would have knocked her block off is she’d asked him that question.
In all, I think it’s getting better, but I think some stereotypes continue. The view that a woman should be paid less than a man for doing the same job because he has a family to support is still alive and well.
By Jennifer K.
June 26, 2006 03:05 PM | Link to this
Unfortunately many companies are missing the mark when it comes to harnassing the resources and unique perspectives that women bring to the table. Like several of you, I also see changes slowly occuring (including women in their 20’s and 30’s asserting themselves). As long as women make up less than 20% of corporate boards, however, we all stand to lose.
By M
July 6, 2006 02:33 PM | Link to this
Hello, First of all in the company I’m in the females are pretty much kept at the same level regardless of how competant they are and they are always called “you guys” by men and other females. Seems like technical people call everything “our guys”, “those guys” etc even when talking about females. This is NOT gender neutral, if it was then GUY would be a female as well as male. It’s ridiculous that in 2006 this is still going on.