Breaking Gender Stereotypes in the Workplace: Creating a More Equitable Future

Gender differences in occupational interests

A meta-analysis study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology shows that gender differences exist in occupational interests. The study analysed over 500,000 respondents across 47 interest inventories to determine if gender influences career choices. The research found that men tend to prefer working with things, while women tend to prefer working with people. Moreover, men showed stronger interests in Realistic and Investigative work, while women showed stronger interests in Artistic, Social, and Conventional work.

Realistic jobs require working with hands, tools, and machinery, such as construction work, farming, mechanics, and firefighting. Investigative jobs involve working with ideas and data, often in a scientific or research context, such as scientific research, engineering, computer programming, and mathematics. Artistic jobs require using creativity to create or design something, often in a visual or performing arts context, such as graphic design, music, writing, and acting. Social jobs involve working with people, often in a helping or caring capacity, such as teaching, counselling, nursing, and social work. Conventional jobs involve working with data or numbers in a structured and organised way, such as accounting, administration, and data entry.

Men were found to have a stronger interest in engineering, science, and maths in STEM fields. However, these results don't imply that all men or all women have the same interests, nor that these interests are completely fixed. But they do suggest that our gendered expectations and societal norms may shape our career choices more than we realise.

Some companies still aim for gender balance, but this may not always be realistic if there is an imbalance of interested candidates. It's important to understand that gender balance isn't a tick-box exercise. It's essential to understand why we want diversity of representation in an organisation.

Why strive for gender balance?

Car manufacturers have relied on male crash test dummies for decades, assuming that the male body represents all drivers. This overlooks the fact that women have different physical characteristics, such as average height, weight, and body shape, which can affect how they react in a car crash. Women are 47% more likely to be seriously injured and 17% more likely to die in a car crash, even when controlling for factors such as seat belt use and crash severity. The root cause of this issue is that seat belts and airbags are designed to protect male bodies, which are generally larger and heavier than female bodies. This inadvertently happens when decision-makers are exclusively male, highlighting the need for diversity in thoughts, ideas, and experiences.

Similarly, medical research has historically neglected women, resulting in gender bias in treatment and diagnosis. This can lead to dangerous or deadly consequences, such as misdiagnosis of heart disease in women. Gender bias in medical research often results in neglect of women, leading to misdiagnosis and inadequate treatment. Traditionally, medical studies have mainly used male participants, which has resulted in a limited understanding of how diseases and treatments impact women differently. Consequently, women's symptoms are often disregarded or misjudged, resulting in severe and sometimes fatal outcomes. For example, heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, accounting for one in every four female deaths. However, only about 35% of participants in clinical trials for heart disease are women, leading to a lack of understanding of how the disease affects women and potentially leading to misdiagnosis and inadequate treatment.

It's not all about women.

In 2021 and 2022 in the UK, 75.5% of school teachers were women. However, this gender imbalance can have negative consequences for boys. Having few male role models in their early years can impact their academic performance, social behaviour, and attitudes toward education. Boys may perceive school as a feminised space and may disengage from learning as a result. Therefore, having a more balanced gender representation in education can lead to better educational outcomes and more diverse career choices for all.

In the UK, only 11% of nurses identify as male. This gender imbalance in nursing can have negative consequences for both male patients and male nurses themselves. Male patients may feel uncomfortable receiving care from female nurses and may benefit from having male nurses as role models and caregivers. Male nurses, on the other hand, may face challenges such as stereotypes and bias in the workplace, and may be less likely to pursue a career in nursing due to the perception that it is a female-dominated profession and therefore leading to a shortage of qualified nurses. This shortage can have negative impacts on the quality of healthcare and patient outcomes.

Now what?

As society strives for more diversity and inclusivity in the workforce, it is essential to be aware of the subtle ways that biases and stereotypes can influence our decisions. By fostering a culture that supports diverse interests and values, we can create a more equitable and fulfilling future for all.

Addressing gender imbalance in the workplace requires a conscious effort from companies to create a more inclusive culture and to actively seek out diverse candidates. One approach is to conduct a thorough analysis of the hiring process to identify any biases or barriers that may be preventing underrepresented groups from being hired. Additionally, implementing diversity training programmes for all employees can help promote awareness and understanding of the benefits of a diverse workplace. Offering flexible work arrangements, such as remote work or flexible hours, can also attract a more diverse pool of candidates who may have caregiving responsibilities or other obligations outside of work.

Companies can also partner with organisations that focus on diversity and inclusion, such as mentoring programmes or industry groups. Some successful diversity initiatives include 强生公司 's Women's Leadership and Inclusion programme, which provides mentorship and development opportunities for women, and 普华永道 's "Flexibility2" programme, which offers flexible work arrangements for all employees. Some countries have introduced initiatives such as the "Men in Early Years Challenge" in the UK, which aims to encourage more men to consider careers in early years education. Ultimately, it is important for companies not only to attract diverse candidates but also to create an inclusive environment that supports their success and growth within the organisation.

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If you are part of an organisation seeking to increase diversity, consider your reasons behind doing so and the types of talent you want to have represented.

To learn more about how you can support initiatives promoting diversity and inclusivity in the workforce, reach out to Talent Spaces through the comments section or by sending me message.

Upskill Me is a social enterprise that empowers young people from all backgrounds to pursue their dream careers. They collaborate with global employers to create a more inclusive and human recruitment process by organising skill-based activities, workshops, and mentorship programmes in schools.