Monday 25 November 2019 5:33 pm

The workplace is still a man’s world, according to London professionals

Over half of London-based professionals think that stereotypical masculine qualities are held in higher regard in the hiring and promotion process than female characteristics, according to a new study.

The research, by Equality Group, also finds that 25 per cent of women in professional roles in London feel that they need to present themselves in a more masculine way to succeed in their jobs.

The results show that a large proportion of the capital’s population believe that they should adapt their behaviour in order to be given more respect in the workplace.

Hephzi Pemberton, Equality Group’s founder, commented:

“These staggering statistics demonstrate that, despite movements such as the #MeToo campaign gaining so much awareness and traction, there remains an enormous amount of gender inequality.

“This means that biases are still being inflicted on femininity, whether consciously or unconsciously. As a society, we must stand together to combat these stereotypes, and revoke these ingrained perceptions of masculine superiority.

“Bringing in diverse talent at senior levels, in terms of women and BAME professionals, to bring new ideas to boards and leadership teams across the country can undoubtedly change working cultures for the better”.

Over a third – 37 per cent – of those surveyed feel that their male colleagues are called on for more demanding business activities and events than women, which causes them to adopt masculine attributes.

However, the survey goes on to show that women appear to be asserting these stereotypes on their female colleagues.

More than a quarter feel that there is more bias expressed by female management than by male equivalents.

A further 22 per cent said that although they had had to overcome gender bias in their professional career, they still said that they found themselves asserting the same bias on their female colleagues.

Main image credit: Getty