In this essay, I explore the impact of gender bias and stereotyping on women in the workforce. I define gender roles as the expectations and standards set by society for each gender to follow, including how they communicate, behave, and dress based on their assigned sex. Men are often expected to act strong and suppress their emotions, while women should act more feminine and exhibit polite behavior. This topic is relevant to my course on Women and Society, which delves into the different gender roles and societal expectations, rules, and standards imposed on them. Women face discrimination in multiple ways, including the stereotypes and biases that pervade their daily lives. During Session 3 of Topic 2 in this course, we explored how society is socially constructed, with set expectations meant to control and force people to adhere to specific beliefs. Women are often relegated to staying at home to care for their families, neglecting their abilities to perform jobs on a par with men. This is an example of stereotyping and discrimination against women in the workplace. To contextualize my research, I conducted a literature review of five articles before proposing a tentative answer at the conclusion.

Heilman's 2012 article, "Gender Stereotypes and Workplace Bias," focuses on how stereotyping in workplaces fosters bias that reinforces the primary research question. Heilman explains how gender bias arises from descriptive and prescriptive gender stereotypes. Descriptive gender stereotypes negatively portray women's abilities and performances, treating them as less capable of executing tasks suited for men, despite possessing the necessary skills and capabilities to meet organizational and societal expectations and standards. Thus, descriptive gender stereotypes contribute to the development of prescriptive gender stereotyping, which promotes bias as it creates a specific set of expectations for women to adhere to. Both descriptive and prescriptive gender stereotypes contribute to biased and stereotypical attitudes towards women in workplaces by perpetuating the societal expectations of their roles, actions, and limitations. This restricts their potential for success. Heilman's article offers essential insights and a detailed explanation of descriptive and prescriptive gender stereotypes, their consequences of promoting gender bias, and limiting women's careers. However, it is not an exhaustive guide on preventing these issues or minimizing gender stereotypes and biases towards women at work.

Stamarski and Hing's 2015 study explores the issue of gender inequality in the workplace and sheds light on the detrimental effects that organizational structures, processes, practices, and decision makers' sexism can have on women. The authors delve into the various forms of discrimination that women face at work, particularly regarding human resource policies, leadership, and strategy. Such bias and stereotyping deny women the recognition and success they deserve and can also hamper their hiring prospects for higher positions. Additionally, gender discrimination perpetuates gender inequality without any remedial measures, ultimately increasing the risk of discrimination. The authors further delve into how women themselves can be inadvertently discriminatory towards their peers. While the study provides ample evidence to support the issue, it falls short in outlining actionable steps that organizations can take to counter this discrimination and minimize its negative impact on women's mental and physical well-being.

Similarly, Bobbitt-Zeher's 2011 study attempts to shed light on the issue of gender discrimination at work and how it ties to gender stereotypes. Women face unfair treatment and prejudice at work due to preconceived notions imposed by society. The factors contributing to gender discrimination include cultural, interactional, and structural issues. Cultural foundations perpetuate gender-based biases and stereotypes, which can lead to unfair treatment of women. For instance, women are often viewed as indecisive and weak, which is reflected in the gender-specific job roles they are assigned. Bobbitt-Zeher's study highlights the scope and severity of gender discrimination faced by women through an analysis of 219 different discrimination cases. However, the study fails to offer remedies for dealing with gender discrimination and how it can be eradicated from the workplace.

In contrast, 2020's "Solutions for tackling workplace gender inequality: exploring the impact of women's self-efficacy levels, career aspirations, and work engagement" focuses on solutions and offers actionable steps that society and organizations can take to promote gender equality and minimize gender stereotyping. The article emphasizes the role of self-efficacy in women's success and recommends several solutions, such as encouragement, mentorship programs, and appointing women in senior leadership positions. The study provides a comprehensive plan of action that can translate into an equitable and less discriminatory workplace environment. However, the study overlooks factors such as societal construction and prejudices that reinforce the view that women are incapable of performing manual labor jobs, thus limiting their opportunities to contribute to the workforce in such roles.

In conclusion, while each of these studies offers valuable insights into the issue of gender inequality at the workplace, they differ in their approach. Stamarski and Hing's study provides comprehensive evidence of discrimination faced by women, whereas Bobbitt-Zeher's study outlines the causes and prevalence of gender discrimination. 2020's study offers a solution to eradicate gender stereotyping and promote a more equitable and inclusive workplace culture. However, the studies fall short in addressing some critical factors that contribute to gender inequality and how they can be remedied.

List of Sources

1. Bobbitt-Zeher, D. (2011). Uncovering the Connection Between Gender Stereotypes, Institutional Policies, and the Gender Composition of Workplaces in Relation to Discrimination Towards Women. Gender & Society, 25(6), 764–786. https://doi.org/10.1177/0891243211424741

2. Heilman, M. E. (2012). Revealing the Impact of Gender Stereotypes and Workplace Bias. Research in Organizational Behavior, 32, 113–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.riob.2012.11.003

3. Seitchik, M. (2020). Discovering the Connection Between Gender and Confidence: How Gender Stereotypes Affect Confidence Perception. The Psychologist-Manager Journal, 23(3–4), 194–205. https://doi.org/10.1037/mgr0000100

4. Stamarski, C. S., & Son Hing, L. S. (2015). The Effect of Organizational Structures, Processes, Practices, and Sexist Decision-Makers on Gender Inequality in the Workplace. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 1–20. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01400

5. Solutions for Tackling Gender Inequality in the Workplace: Investigating the Impact of Women’s Self-Efficacy, Career Goals, and Work Involvement. (2020). Human Resource Management International Digest, 28(5), 49–51. https://doi.org/10.1108/HRMID-04-2020-0080

Explanation:

Here is a list of sources to read more about the ways in which gender discrimination occurs in the workplace, focusing on the ways in which gender stereotypes play a role, as well as the influence of organizational policies, structures, and practices, decision-makers' sexist attitudes, and the ways in which women's self-efficacy, career goals, and work involvement impact gender inequality. These sources aim to provide solutions to the issues at hand and highlight the importance of tackling gender inequality in the workplace.