Double-Bind Stereotype & Its Features

Double-bind stereotype

The features that we usually link with successful leaders sanction stereotypical male-associated features such as competition, determination and assertiveness while also disregarding female-associated features such as working together and creating an acceptable home environment (Weiner & Burton, 2016). Since male-associated stereotypes line up with leadership stereotypes, a male has a greater chance than a female to be rated as a possible and capable leader (Weiner & Burton, 2016). On the other hand, female-associated stereotypes go against the usual representation of what it means to be a leader (Weiner & Burton, 2016). This divide that usually comes out as an unconscious predilection for masculine leaders, which influences the glass ceiling effect that many women encounter (Weiner & Burton, 2016).

The theory surrounding leadership states that for women to become leaders, they have to show they have characteristics that are usually linked with successful leadership, and this involves being assertive (Madaan & Pradhan, 2017). When women act assertive, however, they could end up experiencing many negative costs that men wouldn’t usually go through (Madaan & Pradhan, 2017). Stereotypes about gender tend to differ from culture to culture, but generally they state that males are assertive, competitive and dominant, and that females are supposed to be nurturing, warm and obedient (Madaan & Pradhan, 2017). Gender backlash is a type of stereotype bias where females, or even males, who go against the usual norms for their gender end up suffering negative societal or financial retaliations (Madaan & Pradhan, 2017).

In the double-bind that many women in leadership experience, the women who perform with stereotypical male-associated characteristics like assertiveness are not favored as well when compared to other males showing the same characteristics (Madaan & Pradhan, 2017). Males are also documented as being given an increase in their apparent status after exhibiting anger, while females who express anger were given the opposite treatment of lowered position and wages as well as were viewed as less capable (Madaan & Pradhan, 2017).

On one side, a woman must achieve characteristics that are in line with typical leadership traits in order to develop as a leader. However, when women do behave in this manner considered assertive, they break stereotypes associated with females and are viewed as less likable, which puts a limit on their career and how much they can succeed (Weiner & Burton, 2016). Not only are females required to do more in order to be measured at an equal level of ability as males, their level of work needs to be different as well (Weiner & Burton, 2016). When asking for a promotion, giving uninvited opinions, challenging the current situation, discussing options for a raise, or voicing their concerns can look positive for a male employee to engage in, but their female counterpart could simply be labeled as “bossy” or harsher for the same performance (Weiner & Burton, 2016).

What can Companies do to Address Some of these Challenges?

Many places of employment can take steps to address the gender wage gap and bring it to an end as much as possible. It has been found that employees who are compensated fairly are more dedicated to their job (Campbell & Pearlman, 2013). When workers feel they are being compensated fairly for their work, there’s a higher chance they will want to put in the additional effort in their work and help their coworkers in their work as well (Campbell & Pearlman, 2013). This greater commitment can turn into a better job presentation. On the other hand, when workers feel they are not paid as much as they should be, there is a better chance they may look elsewhere for employment, which could have negative costs to the company (Campbell & Pearlman, 2013).

One way a company can close the gender wage gap is by auditing the compensation given to all employees, so they can understand and attend to pay gaps (Iocca, 2017). They should also be clear about how their place of business decides on amount of compensation so that workers don’t have to wonder about factors that could be deciding their salary (Iocca, 2017). Another way could be to make sure that the hiring process and advancements are fair. They can review performance documentations and promotions frequently to make sure the company is not methodically assessing males on a higher standard and giving advancements more quickly (Iocca, 2017). They can also train supervisors so that they understand how gender-bias can influence their conclusions about performance and put understandable and reliable standards in place to decrease partiality in decisions about staffing and review on performance (Iocca, 2017).

Ensuring that women have the same chances for promotions as their male coworkers is another strategy. Over all, women are usually given less comment on their performance, get less prestigious assignments and decreased opportunities for mentorship (Liu, 2016). Companies can make sure women have the same ability to access people and opportunities that advance their careers and are not just burdened with an unfair amount of office work like event planning (Liu, 2016). Companies can also make the act of negotiating a normal standard for women to engage in (Liu, 2016). They can ensure that their female employees are not only encouraged to partake in this, but also commended and not punished when they do so (Liu, 2016).

In addition to helping create more equal pay, companies can also contribute to decreasing sexual harassment in the workplace. In general, employers have a duty to have a place of work that is devoid of sexual harassment (Goldstein, 2017). There are several steps they can take to decrease the chance of sexual harassment happening in their company. One of these steps is to have a clear policy on sexual harassment in the employee handbook that explains things like what sexual harassment consists of, that there is no tolerance for sexual harassment, that there will be discipline consequences including termination from the place of employment, the process for making a formal complaint, that there will be an investigation for any complaint they receive and that there is to be no retaliation onto anyone who claims to be sexually harassed (Goldstein, 2017). It is also important for companies to train their employees on what constitutes sexual harassment and encouraging employees to not be afraid to file a complaint (Ford & McLaughlin, 1988). Training managers is just as important and training the employees so that complaints can be dealt with effectively (Ford & McLaughlin, 1988).

While there seem to be many challenges in the workplace, women find a way to overcome them or cope with them to the best of their ability. However slowly it may be, the United States is still making progression in making things fair and equal for women at work. Social work implications might suggest that by understanding these issues that women face in this domain, we are better able to advocate for the female client in need as well as work on the macro-level. Social workers can educate companies about the advantages for making it fairer in the workplace in the areas of pay compensation, sexual harassment, family and work-life balance, and the existing double-bind standards that make things unnecessarily difficult for the women in our lives.