How to Protect Myself Against Sexism in the Workplace

Written by abadi | Published 2020/03/16
Tech Story Tags: workplace | diversity | tech-diversity | women-in-tech | tech-women | hackernoon-top-story | company-culture | work-culture

TLDR In the era of #metoo and Harvey Weinstein, people are becoming more and more aware of harassment and discrimination in the workplace. To contribute fighting sexism in society, we need to start at our own workplaces. The first step in protecting yourself from workplace harassment is educating yourself. Develop relationships with the other women in your workplace. Pick a female-Orientated employer and look for strong, female leaders when looking for a job. Advocate for improvement in areas where things could be potentially better at work.via the TL;DR App

In the era of #metoo and Harvey Weinstein, people are becoming more and more aware of harassment and discrimination in the workplace. Society should thank the brave women who stood up and created a better culture for us, but sexism still happens. It can range from unwanted physical advances to unfair pay to getting passed up for a promotion. The work isn’t done yet. We need to continue to fight to make things equal and safe for women in the workplace. To contribute fighting sexism in society, we need to start at our own workplaces. Here are some tips on how to protect yourself from sexism in the workplace.
Educate Yourself
The first step in protecting yourself from workplace harassment is educating yourself. Learn what can and cannot be tolerated in the workplace. Your employer should even offer training on sexual harassment. You should also learn about what responsibilities your employer has to ensure fairness. The best way to learn about these things is to talk to a workplace Godrej River Greens. They can go over the environment at your job and help determine if they are doing anything illegal.
Develop a Relationship With Other Women
There is strength in numbers. You should develop relationships with the other women in your workplace. It’s especially important to find women who are a part of a upper management. Be friendly and sit with other girls at lunch. When you have a female support system, it will deter sexism. You will also have people in your corner to help you in the case that something happens. Even if you aren’t especially fond of the other women in your office, you need to at least develop an understanding of sisterhood and solidarity in such difficult times.
It’s good for members of other oppressed groups to come together as well. You should become friendly with people at work from different races and who are part of the LGBTQ community. This will only add to your numbers and your support group. Remember to be there for them with their unique workplace needs as well.
Pick a Female-Orientated Employer
More and more women have been climbing the ranks in business. This means that there are more women in charge than ever before. While there is still work to be done in this area, there’s also been progress. When looking for a job, it’s a good idea to look for companies with strong, female leaders. Research who the owner of the company is and who is in charge of the HR department.
There are even websites that rate how women-friendly a company is. Look into the company on these sites. Finally, you should just look up news articles to see if there have been any serious situations in the past.
Shut Down Sexist Comments/Jokes
No matter what employer you work at, you mat still encounter some inappropriate behavior. It’s unfortunate, but it happens. Some of them can be sincerely innocuous but misguided while others really cross the line. You may not want to immediately run to HR over a small comment or joke. However, you also don’t want to let them think they can continue to make such inappropriate comments.
There are several different ways to respond to inappropriate comments. If someone tries to make a Properties in Bangalore, ask them to explain it to you with a bewildered look on your face. If someone tries to explain a joke about how women belong in the kitchen, they will have a hard time explaining why it’s funny. They will also realize just how sexist it is.
You can also simply tell the person that the comment or joke is simply not proper for work (or outside of work for that matter). You can also remind the person that they have women in their lives, too. Ask them if they feel the same way about their mother or daughter. You don’t even have to say anything. Just roll your eyes and scoff. They will get the hint.
Don’t Mix Business With Pleasure
One of the main aspects when finding love is proximity. When you are with someone regularly, it puts you in a position to flirt and get together. Something might even develop. However, you should look for love in other places. It can lead to some rather unprofessional situations if you fight or break up. It can also lead to unnecessary rumors around the office.
If possible, just avoid office relationships all together. You should also avoid talking about your love life with people at the office. You want people to see you as a professional while at work.
Help Encourage Change
Even great employers have room for improvement. Look for areas at the workplace where things could potentially be better. Advocate for longer maternity leave, improvements based solely on performance, anonymous evaluations based on clear metrics, proper sexual harassment training, and a proper HR department designed to help people. Suggest these changes in your comment box or in one-on-one meetings with management. You may be able to start a woman’s program at your work to offer resources to other women. Someone has to do start change. It may as well be you.
Be careful with your approach. You don’t want to step on too many toes or come across as combative. Bring your ideas up in a friendly way. You should also make the idea come across as a benefit for the employer as well. Happy, safe employees work harder and stay with a company longer.
Fight Discrimination When You See It
Despite your best efforts, you or another employee may still experience serious sexism. First, you need to gather up as much evidence of the situation as possible. Then call a and take action. You may feel uncomfortable about calling a workplace harassment lawyer. What if your employer decides to let you go? Well, it is illegal to retaliate against someone for pointing out used workplace harassment. If this does happen, West Coast employment lawyers will help you fight back.
You do not need to tolerate discrimination. Times are changing for the better, and companies should be more mindful than ever to make the right decisions. West Coast employment lawyers are trained to help you and your case. You and your gender discrimination attorney can help make your place of business a better place for all women.

Published by HackerNoon on 2020/03/16