Gender Discrimination

According to Stanford SHARE (n.d.), gender discrimination is when someone is treated unequally or
disadvantageously based on their gender, including sex, gender identity, or gender expression. This
form of discrimination is rooted in preconceived, false societal and personal notions about what
gender is, how gender "should" look, or how gender is performed. It is harmful because it limits the
ways people express and identify themselves, and isolates or marginalizes members of the
community who do not conform to historical, limited, and traditional views of gender.

FindLaw (2017) explains that discrimination based on gender or sex is a common civil rights violation
that takes many forms, such as sexual harassment, pregnancy discrimination, and unequal pay for
women who do the same jobs as men. Gender discrimination can occur in various settings, including
employment and education, and gender discrimination laws also protect the rights of transgender
individuals.

UNISON National (n.d.) states that men and women have the right not to be discriminated against at
work because of their gender. Employers may have outdated ideas about what work is appropriate
for women and men, and how that work should be rewarded. Some employers allow or ignore sexual
harassment in the workplace or apply rules that put either women or men at an unfair disadvantage.
Women are more likely to face sex discrimination and harassment at work, and this discrimination can
result in lower earnings and pensions, and even retirement into poverty.

References:

Stanford SHARE. (n.d.). Gender Discrimination. Retrieved from https://share.stanford.edu/get-

informed/learn-topics/gender-discrimination#:~:text=What%20is%20gender%20discrimination
%3F,gender%20identity%2C%20or%20gender%20expression

FindLaw. (2017, December 20). Gender Discrimination. Retrieved from

https://www.findlaw.com/civilrights/discrimination/gender-discrimination.html

UNISON National. (n.d.). Gender discrimination. Retrieved from https://www.unison.org.uk/get-

help/knowledge/discrimination/gender-discrimination/

Construct 1: Recruitment Policies

According to Campling (2022), recruitment policies are a framework that clearly outlines an
organization's recruitment methods and practices. The purpose of these policies is to promote
consistency, transparency, compliance, and adherence to labor laws and legislation.

In another perspective, Wikirefu (n.d.) states that recruitment policies are rules and regulations
governing how an organization recruits its employees. These policies help organizations achieve their
objectives by ensuring they recruit the best people for the job. Additionally, they protect the
organization against legal risks and ensure that the selection process is fair and equitable.

Lastly, recruitment itself is defined as the process of actively seeking out, finding, and hiring
candidates for a specific position or job. The recruitment definition includes the entire hiring process,
from inception to the individual recruit's integration into the company (Sage, n.d.).

References:
Campling, B. (2022). 4 cornerstones of a solid recruitment policy. Recruitee. Retrieved from
https://recruitee.com/articles/recruitment-policy#:~:text=A%20recruitment%20policy%20is%20a,to
%20labor%20laws%20and%20legislation.

Wikirefu, N. (n.d.). Recruitment Policies: Everything You Need To Know. The Human Capital Hub.
Retrieved from https://www.thehumancapitalhub.com/articles/recruitment-policies-everything-you-
need-to-know

Sage. (n.d.). What is Recruitment? Sage. Retrieved from

https://www.sage.com/en-us/blog/glossary/what-is-recruitment/#:~:text=Recruitment%20is%20the
%20process%20of,recruit's%20integration%20into%20the%20company.

Construct 2: Job Performance

Job performance is a critical construct that relates to how well individuals perform their job duties
(Workplace Testing, 2020). It is not solely dependent on natural abilities or training but can also be
influenced by several workplace environment factors such as stress levels, employee morale,
physically demanding tasks, and working extended hours (Workplace Testing, 2020). Poor conditions
and high stress can lead to negative health habits like smoking and poor diet, which then affects job
performance negatively (Workplace Testing, 2020). Conversely, a well-designed work environment,
low-stress levels, and a supportive employer can greatly enhance job performance (Workplace
Testing, 2020).

Job performance involves an analysis of the employee's attendance at work, attitudes, effort,
knowledge, behaviors, and skills (Law Insider, n.d.). This construct is measured against a specific
criterion of success, such as quantity or quality of output, or against multiple criterion dimensions
(APA Dictionary of Psychology, n.d.). The definition provided by Law Insider (n.d.) expands on the
behavioral aspects of job performance, including not just the employee's output but also the manner
in which they perform their job duties. It includes an assessment of the employee's attitudes,
knowledge, behaviors, and skills that impact their job performance.

Creating a conducive work environment that enhances job performance is essential for employers to
improve workplace productivity and safety (Workplace Testing, 2020). Job performance is an
important construct that measures the effectiveness of an employee's job-related behavior, as
measured against a specific criterion of success or multiple criterion dimensions (APA Dictionary of
Psychology, n.d.). Factors such as employee morale, stress levels, and physically demanding tasks can
significantly affect job performance (Workplace Testing, 2020). Employers can improve job
performance by providing support to their employees, such as well-designed work environments and
low-stress levels, which can significantly increase their employees' job performance (Workplace
Testing, 2020).

References:
Law Insider. (n.d.). Job performance definition. https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/job-
performance

APA Dictionary of Psychology. (n.d.). Job Performance. American Psychological Association.

https://dictionary.apa.org/job-performance

Law Insider. (n.d.). Job performance definition. https://www.lawinsider.com/dictionary/job-

performance

Construct 3: Managerial Role

A managerial role involves responsibility and supervision in an organization, where managers

contribute to their companies in many ways depending on their job titles and the organization’s
needs (MasterClass, 2022). From department managers to project managers, they all play different
roles that serve to advance organizational objectives (MasterClass, 2022). MasterClass's definition of
managerial roles does not go into specifics, but it emphasizes the importance of the role of a manager
in the context of an organization.

Managers adopt specific behaviors associated with the task of management called managerial roles
(Wisdom Jobs, n.d.). These roles are used to accomplish the basic functions of management such as
planning and strategizing, organizing, controlling, and leading and developing employees (Wisdom
Jobs, n.d.). Mintzberg's model of managerial roles is one of the earliest and most enduring
descriptions of managerial roles (Wisdom Jobs, n.d.). The model includes ten roles that are grouped
into three categories: interpersonal roles, informational roles, and decisional roles (Wisdom Jobs,
n.d.). Mintzberg emphasized that managing is an integrated activity; thus, these roles are rarely
distinct (Wisdom Jobs, n.d.).

Management expert and professor Henry Mintzberg recognized that managers fulfill many different
roles every day (Mind Tools Content Team, n.d.). He argued that there are ten primary roles or
behaviors that can be used to categorize a manager's different functions (Mind Tools Content Team,
n.d.). The ten roles are divided into three categories, namely, interpersonal, informational, and
decisional (Mind Tools Content Team, n.d.). Mintzberg's model includes roles such as the figurehead,
leader, liaison, monitor, disseminator, spokesperson, entrepreneur, disturbance handler, resource
allocator, and negotiator (Mind Tools Content Team, n.d.). Understanding these roles can help
managers improve their management skills.

References:
Mind Tools Content Team. (n.d.). Mintzberg's Management Roles.
https://www.mindtools.com/ajfb1ev/mintzbergs-management-roles

MasterClass. (2022, June 18). Managerial Roles Defined: 10 Managerial Roles in Business.
https://www.masterclass.com/articles/managerial-roles

Wisdom Jobs. (n.d.). MANAGERIAL ROLES - PRINCIPLES OF MANAGEMENT.

https://www.wisdomjobs.com/e-university/principles-of-management-tutorial-293/managerial-roles-
9220.html

Construct 4: Gender Stereotype

Gender stereotype is a construct that refers to the generalization of attributes or characteristics that
are perceived to be associated with members of a particular social group based on their gender. The
United Nations' Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) defines gender
stereotype as "a generalised view or preconception about attributes, or characteristics that are or
ought to be possessed by women and men or the roles that are or should be performed by men and
women" (OHCHR, 2014). According to this definition, gender stereotypes can be both positive and
negative, for instance, "women are nurturing" or "women are weak." Gender stereotyping, on the
other hand, refers to the practice of ascribing to an individual specific attributes, characteristics, or
roles solely based on their membership in a particular gender group. Gender stereotypes can be
harmful when they limit individuals' capacity to develop their personal abilities, pursue their
professional careers, and make choices about their lives and life plans, irrespective of whether the
stereotypes are positive or negative (OHCHR, 2014).

Gender stereotyping can create and perpetuate deeply engrained attitudes, values, norms, and
prejudices against women, resulting in their discrimination and subordination to men. The Council of
Europe (CoE) argues that gender stereotypes "limit the development of the natural talents and
abilities of girls and boys, women and men, as well as their educational and professional experiences
and life opportunities in general" (CoE, n.d.). The CoE further suggests that gender stereotypes are
both a result of, and a cause of, sexism, and they are used to justify and maintain the historical
relations of power of men over women. Gender stereotypes can also lead to stereotyping and
wrongful stereotyping, which violate the fundamental rights and freedoms of women and men,
including their right to be free from discrimination, violence, and coercion (OHCHR, 2014). For
instance, gender stereotypes that assume women as nurturing can lead to child-rearing
responsibilities falling exclusively on women, limiting their ability to pursue their careers or education,
resulting in time poverty for women, and lower levels of education. Stereotypical views about
women's appropriate sexual behavior can lead to the failure to criminalize marital rape and hold
perpetrators of sexual violence accountable, as the justice system is often underpinned by patriarchal
notions and stereotypes that negatively affect their objectivity and impartiality (OHCHR, 2014).

Gender stereotypes create widely accepted biases about certain characteristics or traits associated
with gender, and as a result, they can limit individuals' development and opportunities. The Gender
Equality Law Project argues that gender stereotyping is defined as an overgeneralization of
characteristics, differences, and attributes of a particular group based on their gender. The project
suggests that gender stereotypes create a notion that each gender and associated behaviors are
binary, and if a man or woman acts differently from how their gender is expected to behave, there is a
disconnect in the evaluator's mind (Gender Equality Law Project, n.d.). Gender stereotypes can also
result in negative consequences for individuals who do not fit into the strict gender dichotomy or do
not identify with any gender at all. For example, women who exhibit assertive behavior are often
called derogatory names such as "bitches" or "whores," while men who do not appear or act
masculine are called "sissies" or "wimps" or assumed to be gay, which is a very offensive stereotype in
the LGBT community (Gender Equality Law Project, n.d.).

References:

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. (2014, September). Gender stereotypes and
stereotyping and women's rights. Retrieved from
https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/Documents/Issues/Women/WRGS/OnePagers/
Gender_stereotyping.pdf

Gender Equality Law Center. (n.d.). Gender stereotyping. Retrieved from

https://www.genderequalitylaw.org/gender-stereotyping

Council of Europe. (n.d.). Gender stereotypes. Retrieved from

https://www.coe.int/en/web/genderequality