What to Do about Gender Bias
"Women need more positive reinforcement, and men need more negative reinforcement. Men wildly overestimate their learning abilities, their earning abilities. Women say, ‘Oh, I’m not good, I won’t earn much, whatever you want to give me is O.K.’”
Women in your workplace likely have the skills to do a great job. What they may lack is confidence. “Am I ready for this role?” “Can I handle this account/ project/ responsibility?” The answer is usually yes, but they need you to show you believe in them. Tell them where they excel and guide them gently in areas of growth.
On the other hand, the men in your workplace are bursting with confidence. They think they can do anything and everything – and, unless you tell them otherwise, they’ll think their mediocre efforts were amazing. Help them be realistic and show them where they still have room to grow. Don’t just believe boisterous enthusiasm.
Update 2020:
A recent report came out that noted men will apply for a position for which they are only 60% qualified. Women will wait until they have 100% of the prerequisites.
If you want to make sure you are being inclusive, don’t wait for women to come to you. Go to them. Ask them to apply. Promote them when you know they are ready.
When it comes to posting jobs, make sure you only list the required skills that are actually required – and then hold all of your applicants to those requirements.
Make sure your female employees are mentored at least as much as your male employees, if not more. Professional men tend to acquire formal and informal mentoring relationships that not only focus on the skills they need to advance but also on the relationships they need to handle/build/manage. Mentoring relationships for women tend to focus on professional skills, leaving out the who-you-know piece. This is why people still refer to “the old boys’ network” and its impact. Men are still getting insider information that contributes to their promotions. You need to be intentional in your mentoring programs with women to balance this advantage.