Union chief urges action as one in six women say sexism hurts their career

Almost one in six women believe that their gender has affected their career progression as a new poll reveals sexist attitudes and behaviours continue in workplaces.

The finding is from a survey of misogyny in the workplace by polling company Ipsos. Despite finding that most women generally feel they are treated equally, it does reveal problems continue to exist.

These include gender being taken into account when employees are considered for promotion, and workplace comments about someone’s outfit or appearance.

Women were twice as likely as men to feel their gender had affected their career, with 15% saying this was true, to just 8% of men.

Meanwhile, 15% of men and 7% of women answered that it was acceptable to look at sexually explicit material in the workplace. Of respondees, 18% had seen someone watching pornography at work.

The poll of 2,045 adults was carried out across the UK early last month and followed the resignation of Tory MP Neil Parish, who quit in April after admitting watching explicit material in the House of Commons.

Roz Foyer, Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) general secretary, described the findings as startling and called on employers to stamp out outdated and harmful views.

Nearly one in five men said it was acceptable to take someone’s gender into account when considering them for a promotion, while 8% of women agreed this was OK. A quarter of men said giving tasks or projects to someone based on their gender was acceptable, but only 14% of women. One in five said they had been passed over for promotion by someone of a different gender.

A third of men and a quarter of women thought making comments about someone’s outfit was acceptable, while 29% of men and 19% of women would make comments on someone’s appearance. Some 27% of workers said they had experienced comments about their appearance.

Foyer said: “The Ipsos survey results are startling. Misogyny should have no place in any workplace in 2022, but these results show that many workplaces still foster harmful attitudes towards women.

“The fact that 15% of men think it’s acceptable to look at sexually explicit material in the workplace is especially concerning. It shows a clear lack of understanding of the nature of sexual harassment, and what it means to have a safe workplace for everyone. Likewise, the fact that one in four men think it is acceptable to give out a task based on someone’s gender and that 18% of people think it’s OK to take someone’s gender into account when considering them for a promotion shows the impact that sexism in the workplace can have on women’s progression in their careers.

“Employers need to step up and take action to stamp out outdated and harmful views in the workplace, and create workplace cultures where women are valued for the skills and expertise they have.”

Anna Ritchie Allan, executive director of Close The Gap, which works to tackle workplace inequality, said: “Sexism is so deeply ingrained in workplaces that it’s invisible to many. Allocating projects and tasks based on whether someone is a woman or a man is one way this plays out. Assuming a woman has a more junior role than she does is another. Women also routinely describe being expected to take minutes or make the tea, irrespective of their job.

“Sexist workplace cultures create a conducive context for sexual harassment such as looking at sexually explicit material at work, and making unwelcome comments about a woman’s appearance. Sexual harassment affects women’s jobs and their careers, making them feel unsafe at work and negatively impacting their mental health. It also contributes to the lack of women in senior roles, and Scotland’s persistent gender pay gap.

“Employers need to show leadership by signalling that sexism will not be tolerated, and make sure that when women report sexual harassment their complaints are taken seriously.”

Leading employment lawyer Margaret Gribbon said: “The onus should be on both men and women, at all levels of an organisation, to challenge sexism and misogyny where it occurs. Employers have an important responsibility for setting the standards and culture and by clearly communicating the consequences for unacceptable workplace conduct.”

Trinh Tu, managing director of public affairs at Ipsos, said: “There are still notable proportions of people who experience potentially unwelcome actions in the workplace. Companies should work with and listen to their employees, and have credible and effective procedures for reporting and acting upon concerns of inappropriate behaviour, to ensure all feel comfortable in their workplace and everyone is treated equally.”

Last month, a former firearms officer was awarded nearly £1 million after winning a victimisation claim against Police Scotland at a tribunal. Rhona Malone began her action against the force after a senior officer said he did not want to see two female armed officers deployed together when there were sufficient male staff on duty.

New laws to make misogyny a hate crime are being considered by the Scottish Government after the targeting of women was left out of the Hate Crime Act, which became law last year.

In March, a specialist group chaired by Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws, the Labour peer, called for a misogyny and criminal justice act in Scotland. She said the evidence presented to her group was a “horror show”.

The legislation would create offences of issuing threats of rape or sexual assault or disfigurement of women and girls.