Unconscious bias towards female employees feared to worsen post-pandemic
Many career women will tell you that they have had to work harder than any man to get to the top. Women who want solid careers in just about any industry need to leave the office later, revise harder, and prove themselves far more than any man would be expected to. While some would try to argue against this, you can’t deny that in many industries, there’s still unconscious bias towards women that permeates companies and stops them from getting the promotions and other bonuses that they deserve. The pandemic is putting women’s careers under even more pressure, and some women are worried that this will get worse post-pandemic.
Many women are working from home while also attempting to school and care for their children, keep a house in order, and care for other relatives. Mothers mostly still most of the household work burdens in their families, and this leaves the pressure piling on top of them. Many are worried they are heading for redundancy as they are not able to work as hard as they were before. Even for those who enjoy their jobs and feel safe, they admit that they cannot continue to work as they are for much longer. Many women talk about doing a ‘second shift’ at home once everything else is completed.
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Outdated workplaces
Many people still don’t fully understand how women are experiencing the workplace. There are implicit biases which slow down progress for women at all career levels, and the research also shows that the lack of flexible work options can impact a woman’s motivation – especially as they enter motherhood.
In other studies, it showed that women were more likely to start at a lower level than men in a post MBA job. It also showed that when men worked long hours, they boosted their careers, but women did the same and it did not do the same for them. All men had to do was switch firms to enjoy a pay rise, while women had to ‘prove themselves’ to their managers first. Women are often harshly judged on their performance, while men are promoted and paid based on their potential.
Some people have the view that if women were to do the exact same thing as men, they would advance and be paid more. However, that is not the truth. Women are held to a much higher standard than men are. The bias is very unconscious but it is there in many industries.
A study in the US showed that companies in trouble did not want to appoint a female director. Shareholders were happy to support female directors when everything seemed to be going well, but if the company met trouble or went into crisis, shareholders often withdrew their support for female candidates. The women were held to much higher standards than their peers, and were also more likely to leave the company in subsequent years.
Lower paid women are also struggling
The coronavirus pandemic has also affected women in lower paid occupations. The economic crisis has destroyed women’s jobs more than men’s, because it is hitting the economic sectors where women are overrepresented in the workforce. Industries like accommodation, food, retail and manufacturing are all taking a huge hit. In Central America alone, for example, 59% of women are employed in those sectors, while in South East Asia it’s 49% and in South America 45%. This means that in the US, female unemployment is much higher than male.
For women to try to overcome this, looking for companies to work for that truly value merit is a must. The pandemic will pass, and working with businesses that have already started to adapt will be key. You don’t want to work for a company that wouldn’t let you into their board meetings on a normal day and are only doing it for their reputation. Even if you need to get a virtual office to meet with a company and discuss their values, you will be doing yourself a favor in the long run. Firms should be more compassionate towards women and those who need flexible jobs due to their homelife.
Many professionals recommend that female business students look at what’s happening at the top of the firms they consider before they even apply for a job there. You’re not looking for a perfect company, but a company that is progressing. If you are not being represented, and they are not working towards it, then you should look somewhere else.
