One in four men (28%) said they would be likely to ‘do nothing’ if their colleague makes a sexist comment at work, according to the latest research carried out by Catalyst.
In fact, 99% of men indicated that their workplace has some level of combative culture, and 33% said that there is a highly combative culture within their workplace. That’s worrying because workplaces with a highly combative culture have high levels of masculine anxiety and sexism, reveals Catalyst’s latest report. Around 61% of men working in workplaces with high combative culture, said they would “do nothing” if a colleague makes a sexist comment, compared to only 12% of men who work in less combative workplaces.
Additionally, 55% of men reported having a high degree of masculine anxiety in highly combative workplaces, compared to only 6% of men working in less combative workplaces. According to Catalyst’s study, masculine anxiety is often heightened by combative work cultures and linked to men’s decisions not to interrupt sexism in the workplace. The report, Masculine Anxiety and Interrupting Sexism at Work, defines ‘masculine anxiety’ as the distress men feel when they do not think they are living up to society’s rigid standards of masculinity. It found that 76% of men who experience a high degree of masculine anxiety, said that they would do nothing if a colleague makes a sexist comment at work, compared to just 14% of men who experience less masculine anxiety.
MITIGATING MASCULINE ANXIETY
Companies can, however, mitigate masculine anxiety and sexism – and improve workplace fairness – by increasing transparency, clarifying expectations, sharing resources equitably, communicating inclusively, encouraging humility and listening to employees, noted the report.
This latest report is the third in the Interrupting Sexism at Work series, and is based on data from the US. “This series on Interrupting Sexism provides compelling guidance for senior leaders working to build more inclusive workplace cultures,” stated Catalyst President and CEO Lorraine Hariton. “The definition of masculine anxiety; and data on the role it plays give talent managers a tool to help transform their organisational culture and develop an environment where everyone can thrive at work.”
INTERRUPTING SEXISM AT WORK
Interrupting Sexism at Work is a research initiative exploring organisational conditions that encourage or discourage men from responding when they witness incidences of sexism in the workplace. The initiative includes countries in North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. The first study, Interrupting Sexism at Work: How Men Respond in a Climate of Silence, highlighted the negative impacts of a climate of silence in the workplace on men’s intention to comment on observed sexist behaviours. It showed that men who experience higher levels of silence in their workplace see more costs and fewer benefits to interrupting sexist behaviors in the workplace.
The second study, Interrupting Sexism at Work: What Drives Men to Respond Directly or Do Nothing?, examined the role that personal agency and organisational conditions play in predicting men’s responses to workplace sexism. It found that negative organisational environments such as a climate of silence, a climate of futility, and a combative culture are responsible for a large portion of men’s intent to do nothing in response to workplace sexism.
This third study draws on results from a large-scale survey and insights from in-depth interviews. Catalyst researchers Sarah DiMuccio, PhD; Negin Sattari, PhD; Emily Shaffer, PhD; and co-author Jared Cline surveyed more than 1,000 men across job levels working in the US for the research. Click here to read the full report.
Another global study has also revealed that most men are still ‘unsure’ of how to be an ally and support gender equality. Click here to read more.
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