A tiny bit of gender bias can change everything.
By Yaryna Serkez Graphics Editor, Opinion |
Overlooked or uncredited contributions, denied opportunities, unfair evaluations and negative stereotypes are indignities that millions of women experience every day in the workplace. But how does routine sexism affect one's career in the long run? |
That's the question that Jessica Nordell, the author of "The End of Bias: A Beginning," tried to answer, with a research group at the University at Buffalo. |
Based on available empirical studies, Nordell and her collaborators designed a computer simulation that shows how small daily discriminations against women can accumulate and change the makeup of a company, leaving women with fewer promotions and company leadership mostly male. |
Every simulation at the imaginary company, NormCorp, starts with equal representation — but as women's performance is evaluated a trifle less favorably, as their failures are penalized an iota more, and as they encounter slightly fewer opportunities, their representation at the highest ranks drops dramatically. |
Here's what the gender mix looks like after 10 years of promotions in two scenarios that disadvantage women. |
In an essay for Times Opinion, Nordell writes about her gender-bias research and sheds some light on what strategies have proved effective in creating more equitable workplaces. |
Her research shows that some popular interventions, such as short-term quotas, are not that fruitful in the long run if societal biases against women persist. A commitment to reducing gender bias from leadership, on the other hand, does pay dividends. Managers who provide mentorship, encourage sponsorship of women and invest in equal opportunities are more likely to make a long-lasting positive difference in how their companies are shaped. |
Read the full essay here. |
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