Why this still matters
Gender discrimination in the workplace has been explicitly outlawed in most countries around the world. In the United States, for instance, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sex. Although such labor laws have existed for a long time and have ensured extensive protection to countless female workers, gender discrimination is still rampant in contemporary workplaces.
Since most female workers do not fully understand what constitutes gender-based discrimination at work, it is a good idea to understand the basics.
What is gender discrimination?
Workplace gender discrimination can occur in many different ways. It generally means that a job applicant or employee is treated unfairly, differently, or less favorably due to their gender identity or sexual orientation. Although “gender” and “sex” have different legal meanings, laws against gender discrimination in workplaces around the world generally use them interchangeably. Some of the most common examples of workplace gender discrimination against women:
- A job applicant is not hired because she is a woman.
- A job applicant is offered a low-paying position, or an employee is fired, because of their gender identity.
- An employee is subjected to slurs or derogatory language in the workplace on account of being a woman.
- A female employee is paid less than an employee of a different gender performing the same set of tasks.
- A female employee is denied promotion, training, a pay raise, or benefits that are given to employees of another gender identity, in a situation where she is equally or more qualified.
- A female worker is disciplined for actions that employees of other gender identities indulge in all the time but never get called out or punished for.
- A female worker is subjected to unwelcome sexual advances, quid pro quo sexual favors, or other harassment of a sexual nature.
In a nutshell, gender discrimination in the workplace can be disparate treatment based on a person’s gender or sexual orientation, and it may include sexual harassment. Such discriminatory acts aren’t always perpetrated by men — people of all genders indulge in gender discrimination — so legally, the gender of the perpetrator may not be important.
How it affects the mental and physical health of female employees
Gender discrimination in the workplace can be a potent source of stress for many female employees. A 2020 study published in The Lancet details the extensive impact of gender discrimination on women’s mental health. Researchers found that women who reported experiencing gender discrimination over the previous year scored significantly higher than others on various metrics related to depression. Depending on the nature and intensity of the discrimination, it can also lead to severe anxiety and psychological trauma.
Depression, anxiety, PTSD, and eating disorders are more prevalent among women workers, and researchers argue that gender discrimination plays a major role in creating this gender gap in mental health issues. Women are about twice as likely to suffer from depression, roughly 1.5 times more likely to attempt suicide, and eating disorders are several times more common among women. A 2018 study highlights that gender discrimination can also affect women’s physical health — those subjected to sexual harassment are more likely to report ill physical health, and the discrimination can worsen chronic conditions including diabetes and high blood pressure.
Unhealthy living conditions
Gender discrimination at work can also lead to female workers having less access to the opportunities and benefits they require to survive and thrive — some women may even struggle to access the basic facilities required for healthy living. A gender pay gap driven by discriminatory company policy, for instance, results in female workers earning less than their male counterparts even when they perform the same jobs.
Women of color are worst affected by the gender pay gap. African American women, for instance, have historically occupied low-paying positions despite higher labor participation rates. Compared to men, women are more likely to experience financial difficulties, and rates of poverty among women are higher. When they are discriminated against in the workplace, it reduces their ability to afford healthy food, health insurance, and housing.
Gender discrimination affects women in multiple ways
Women experiencing gender discrimination in the workplace may not be able to concentrate on daily tasks; when they have to focus on dealing with discrimination or harassment, the attention they can give to assigned duties is significantly reduced. Persistent discriminatory behavior may also have an adverse impact on self-esteem, and women may quickly develop feelings of anger, frustration, or paranoia when discrimination is severe. In a hostile work environment ridden with direct or indirect abuse, women may also feel unsafe and find themselves alienated from co-workers. How workplace gender discrimination affects a woman will invariably depend on its nature and context, and not all women respond to or deal with it the same way.
Employers can play an important role in eliminating gender discrimination
Gender discrimination isn’t always intentional. In many cases it may have become part of company culture or policy to treat female workers in a discriminatory manner. Whether conscious or unconscious, workplace gender biases are still rampant.
Business leaders, employers, HR managers, and supervisors can play a key role in eliminating gender biases at work. First, they should educate all their workers on gender bias. Next, they should evaluate and standardize their hiring/firing policies and salary/incentive structures to make them gender-neutral. Those in positions of strength should stand up to gender discrimination when it occurs. Creating an inclusive workplace is one of the most recommended employee retention best practices.
It is in the best interest of an organization to put a full stop to workplace gender discrimination. Besides low productivity, poor team dynamics, and poor brand reputation, gender discrimination can also result in high employee turnover — no one wants to continue dealing with harassment or discrimination, and even when a woman has no choice but to stay in a hostile environment, she is unlikely to put her heart and mind into the work.