Gender bias in the workplace is still a major issue for women across the United States.
While many of us have experienced a moment where we felt like we were passed over for a promotion or paid less because of our gender, there are still a lot of people who don't realize how common these discriminatory practices still are.
A survey conducted by OnePoll in conjunction with SurePayroll spoke with 2,005 full-time employed American women. Their findings revealed that well over half of the women surveyed have experienced gender bias in the workplace.
Of the women surveyed, 62% had experienced gender bias.
Of the 2,005 full-time employed American women surveyed, 62% reported experiencing gender bias. In the case of this survey, gender bias was defined as "prejudice in favor of or against one gender compared to another, usually in a way considered to be unfair."
More than half of the women surveyed had debated leaving their job over gender bias.
Gender bias in the workplace can look a lot of different ways. Of the surveyed women, 56% of women have considered leaving their job over gender bias. Respondents noted they experienced issues such as wage discrimination (52%), sexual harassment (48%), or gender-based hiring and promotional practices (48%).
These women see their female peers being discriminated against.
If one woman is being discriminated against in a workplace, it's not unlikely that others are, too. While 69% of women recognized when bias was directed at them, 73% noticed it happening to coworkers and colleagues.
One in three women surveyed believed they were passed over for a promotion in favor of a man.
Nearly half (43%) of these women have also found out that a male coworker was being paid more than they were for doing the same job with the same responsibilities. Exactly half of these women feel it's inherently harder to progress in the workplace as a woman.
That said, these women feel more empowered than ever before.
Seven in 10 women surveyed feel that they have more of an opportunity to advocate for themselves than ever before. One-third have stood up to gender bias in their workplace. That's almost twice the amount of women than those who reported just letting these injustices go.
Parenting comes into play in the workplace for women more than for men.
Women with children face additional challenges in the workplace, but it's an area that has seen improvements in recent years. Two-thirds of respondents with children said they feel supported by their workplace when they need to take time off to be the primary caregiver at home. Still, just over half (56%) feel that their company's maternity leave policy is adequate.
Women are helping each other and seeking help from each other more than before.
Women having the ability to seek out mentorship and be mentors to other women is crucial, veteran executive coach Dr. Vicky Gordon noted to Talker News.
"Women mentoring women is an essential leadership responsibility,” said Dr. Gordon, who also serves as an adjunct professor in global leadership at St. Mary-of-the-Woods College.
"We need women to face challenges together, provide inspiration to each other, and define ways to overcome gender-based bias in the workplace to achieve their career dreams."
In the workplace, 70% of women feel responsible for mentoring other women.
Nearly all of the women surveyed have taken steps to mentor other women in their industry.
"My career path has been shaped by women mentors, and it is my privilege to pay it forward by mentoring women looking to grow in their current fields or pursue pivots that better align with their ambitions or passions," said Jenna Shklyar, SurePayroll head of marketing.
"Sixty-four percent of respondents say there needs to be a greater number of women at the corporate level in C-Suite positions. Meaningful representation in upper management gives voice to employees and customers. It also matters because approximately 10 million small businesses are owned and operated by women."
