Gender Inequality Persists in Modern Society
Cuthbert et al (2023) assert that the issue of gender inequality permeates modern society, especially in the fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine. Women of today are constrained by a lack of equal representation and recognition in many spheres of work including corporate, academic and artistic fields. An essential responsibility of remedying this situation falls on the shoulders of male allies who need to recognise the importance of amplifying women’s voices in the workplace.
The Role of Male Allies in Changing Organisational Culture
O’Connor (2020) asserts that organisational culture reflects the desires of powerful men. Male allies play an instrumental role in implementing effective strategies to break down the barriers faced by women in the workplace. One powerful tactic that can be successfully implemented by male allies would be to allow women to chair and coordinate more meetings so that women are more empowered to make decisions and speak authoritatively. This would create a culture of value and respect for women in leadership roles and make it easier for female leaders to delegate tasks to male subordinates with less resistance.
Another approach would be to encourage more male counterparts to enthusiastically take on activities which were previously stereotyped as female roles, such as minute taking at meetings and ordering lunch or coffee for the team. This would break the popular misconception that menial or mundane tasks such as these should only be given to females in the workplace. Naturally, this would have to be implemented in a balanced and fair manner without making males feel mistreated in any way. Perhaps the rotation of the allocation of these tasks between male and female colleagues might be seen to be more equitable, fair and consistent.
Amplification in Meetings and Discussions
Male allies can also amplify women’s voices by actively recognising the contributions made by women and ensuring that their work output is not overlooked or appropriated by others. Human nature dictates that people often need approval from their superiors and colleagues to feel validated and secure. Male allies can show their support for their female counterparts by seconding their motions in meetings, by exhibiting positive body language when females are speaking or presenting, and by being less confrontational or threatening when challenging an opinion or idea of a female team member.
Handling Instances of Bias
Waller (2016) asserts that men and women have very different experiences at the workplace, with men winning more promotions, obtaining more lucrative projects and having greater access to leaders. Male allies, especially those in positions of leadership, need to effectively address instances of bias towards women. Instances of hate speech and flagrant discrimination should be swiftly and decisively managed and transgressors should be reprimanded. Women need to be trusted with more complex and high priority projects. This will also set a precedent for others to follow and create a culture of respect for women with equal rights as their male team members.
Inclusion in Team Social Activities
Male allies should also encourage the inclusion of women in activities that would typically be considered ‘male activities’ such as corporate golf days, attendance at sporting events and team social meetings outside office hours. By including women in these activities, it would allow stronger team immersion and remove invisible barriers between the genders, allowing greater collaboration and communication.
Conclusion
It is important for there to be a balance of power between the genders, with both women and men receiving equally fair treatment and respect from colleagues and leaders. It is also important that one gender should not be mistreated at the expense of another. The challenge facing male allies in modern times is that they need to elevate and strengthen the voices of their female counterparts while guarding against becoming so fanatical in their efforts that they mistreat male employees. The ideal situation would be to create an equitable workplace environment in which every voice is heard and valued, irrespective of gender.