The “Bro Culture” is what Melinda French Gates recently called it.

In case you missed it, Gates said: "I think you get these industries where, when over time they become very male-dominated, then the guys expect that everybody's going to act the way they act. And when they don't see somebody leading or acting the way they are there, there's pushback."?She says about her role at Microsoft: "I almost quit two years in because of what you call this bro culture..."

Before we talk about why it's got to go, first let's talk about what exactly is Bro Culture?

If you’ve watched Mad Men, you have some idea. Though there’s no exact definition, we’ll define it for you: It’s a culture where norms and standards overtly, or subtly, support, reinforce, or even promote male superiority and/or female repression. What does Bro Culture include?

• 50% of women get interrupted at meetings (LeanIn.org)
• 38% of women say others take credit for their ideas (LeanIn.org)
• Most women — between 54% and 81% — report experiencing some level of sexual harassment at work.
• However, over 50% don’t report workplace such harassment for fear of retaliation – and it costs companies $2.6 Billion in lost productivity
• In the trades (building) industry, the US EEOC says that sexualized conversations, jokes, graffiti, and pornography are rampant and women who report harassment often see their complaints dismissed by supervisors, leaving women to leave and thus impacting their earnings
• Half of the women (50%) who were victims of sexual harassment stated that it hurt their careers.

It was openly promoted in the 50’s and the decades before that, and accepted in the 60’s, 70’s, and even 80’s – when Melinda French Gates was one of the few women at Microsoft – as women began to enter male-dominated industries. Renee Six, most recently director of software engineering at Dell, shared with us: “In my job in Flight Operations in the '90s, I was told "boys will be boys" when male colleagues would give me explicit centerfolds at my desk. I was also told it’s a "pilot culture," when 100% of the commercial pilots I worked with were men."

More subtle ways women are held back include “occupational segregation” (leading to more men in high-paying roles) or - as one top male private equity exec told me – interrupting or talking over women. “I have a guy on my team who keeps interrupting women,” this exec told me recently over coffee. “I have to pull him aside and tell him, ‘You can’t do that.’”

Leadership typically allows for this culture and sets the standard.

The result: women can’t flourish because their voices and ideas can’t be heard.?They are not treated as equal to men, which manifests itself in numerous ways: “Get me some coffee.” is one compensation decision for meeting behaviors.?

What industries are more guilty of having Bro Cultures?

Male-dominated industries, which include: Financial services, energy, manufacturing, infrastructure, real estate, and tech as the most obvious ones.

% of women in senior positions:

• Financial services: 21%
• Energy: 14% (OECD)
• Manufacturing: 25% (Women in Manufacturing)
• Infrastructure: 19% (WSJ)
• Commercial real estate: 1.3% (CREA)
• Big Tech: 10.9% (Exploding Topics)

How do I know if we have a Bro Culture?

If you check the box to any of these, you’ve got a Bro Culture:

? Client or team offsites feature “drinking shots” or visiting men’s salons

? The leader only takes the guys out for drinks after work

? Sexist, demeaning, and other language is used and allowed (e.g., Check out her…; Look at what that bitch did)

? Women are interrupted and prevented from speaking

? Compensation, bonus, and promotion decisions are made all or mostly by men

? Women appear to be recognized for their looks

? Company leaders who are also sponsors work mostly with men

What do employees say are the most effective ways to crush 'bro culture' and make corporate life truly inclusive for women?

Our survey found:

• Promote women into leadership 52%
• Transparent hiring 25%
• Zero tolerance policy 19%

Girls With Impact prepares young women for the workplace by equipping them with both the confidence and skills to operate more effectively and, ultimately, move up into leadership roles.

What other actions can you take to create a workplace culture that works for everyone, including GenZ and women?

It requires leadership from the top. The CEO should set the tone. He/she can also take these actions:

• Identify the areas in which your “bro culture” is manifesting itself, and create a plan to address each of them. Examples include leadership behavior and role modeling; biased compensation awards;?team events/gatherings, and language used in the workplace.
• Ensure the Leadership Team is fully committed to and understands your definition of a positive and progressive workplace culture
• Ensure representation of men and women on review and compensation decision panels
• Leverage Employee Resource groups and/or young employees to contribute ideas for company or client?activities
• Actively reach out to capable talent and encourage women to apply for promotions or lateral moves even if they “don’t check every box”
• Create a formal sponsorship and/or mentorship program
• Provide leadership and skills development programs for entry-level women to better prepare them for the workplace
• Demonstrate your commitment to women by making career prep and education for young women a priority
• Destigmatize your male-dominated industry by featuring female role models internally and externally (website, social media)

To learn more about the solution to dismantling bro culture, visit https://www.girlswithimpact.org/.

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