Workplace Communication Analysis

Gender Differences in Workplace Communication

Madison Rexroat

University of Kentucky

Gender Differences in Workplace Communication

Despite the many great strides in gender equality and female empowerment, gender inequality in the workplace still exists and continues to have adverse effects on women and business. In hunter/gatherer societies, there was far more social equality between genders, but as bigger civilizations began to develop, women somehow moved to the sidelines as far as the workplace, being forced into the “cult of domesticity” in which they took care of the home and children for no pay. Women only began rejoining the workforce in the late 18th century, nearly 200 years ago in an entire human existence of 200,000 years. Although women are getting closer and closer to professional and social equality, there are still many barriers that hold them back from advancement, and consequently hold business and society back. Gender inequality continues to be a workplace communication issue due to stereotypes associated with female workers and institutional obstacles faced by women in the workplace, and these obstacles lead to gender discrimination that women and businesses must fight to overcome.

Stereotypes in the Workplace

Firstly, there are many stereotypes socially coupled with successful and powerful women, which influence the way bosses, coworkers, and society view women in the workplace. There is an array of unfair stigmas associated with working women, including those that say that women are too emotional or weak for the workplace. Women are seen either as too fragile or too aggressive for behavior that men can easily get away with. A “take-charge” attitude in men is translated into an “over aggressive” attitude in women, which makes it confusing for women in the workplace because nothing seems good enough; they shouldn’t show emotion but if they comply, they’re seen as too aggressive (Nordell, 2014). The perception of fragility makes it...