Are You Detecting Sexism from Your Manager?

Despite progress in equality, sexism in the workplace is still a prevalent problem and a very live issue. Sometimes, sexism is covert and subtle. If you think you're picking up on a sexist attitude from your manager, it can be every bit as damaging to your career as outright discrimination, and you ought to take action to call them out.

It's worth remembering that sexism goes both ways. True, women are far more likely to be affected because it's typically men who hold the higher positions within a department or company. But female bosses can also be guilty in their attitudes towards male employees.

In an ideal world, men and women within an organisation would be valued equally and treated on a level playing field by those supervising them. If someone is giving off a vibe of low-level sexism, it all mounts up and undermines an individual.

If you're regularly passed over for promotion or training opportunities, ask yourself whether it's due to your performance or something unwarranted. If your performance is just as good as other people of the opposite sex and on the same level as you, why do they get the chance to progress?

Also mentally question why you're being assigned certain tasks, and if it's stereotyping. If you're a woman and always tasked with arranging the catering for team meetings, is it because 'all women know about food and cooking'? Sometimes it's those small, barely perceptible acts which reveal a supervisor's attitude.

If you detect any form of sexism, gather your evidence and approach HR. In this day and age, every company should have a zero-tolerance policy.