Dive Brief:
- Harvard Business Review (HBR) says that, according to research, women in competitive, male-oriented work cultures earn more and are promoted more quickly when mentored by men. However, research also shows that male mentors don't push their female mentees as hard as their male protégés.
- According to HBR, research shows that many women with male mentors aren't being challenged as much as their male counterparts in two critical areas: Psychosocial functions such as friendship, encouragement and emotional support, and career functions, which include coaching, challenge, visibility, direct teaching and advocacy.
- HBR says men don't mentor women the same way they do men because men harbor stereotypes about women’s capacities, are overly protective of women or are afraid women will become too emotional if they're pushed too hard.
Dive Insight:
Ridding society or the workplace, for that matter, of stereotypes is not exactly easy. But employers should be aware of how harmful lowered expectations for certain groups, women in this case, can be socially and professionally.
One key problem: The biases are largely unconscious but still create huge barriers. Both men and women tend to believe men make better leaders in high-stress situations. Women get penalized more for requesting a flexible work schedule
A Paysa survey found that 60% of women were underpaid, but 43.5% felt it was due to their inexperience. Women who are shortchanged in mentorship relationships are likely to have similar self-effacing outlooks on their capabilities and careers, reflecting the importance of male allies in the workplace, especially for women of color. A "powerful alliance" between men in leadership roles and multicultural female employees can pave the way for more diverse companies and better experiences for women in the workplace overall.
