Women, especially those in management, are twice as likely as their male colleagues to view their gender as a barrier to success, according to new research to mark International Women’s Day.
The survey of over 2,600 UK workers, conducted by HR software provider Ciphr, found that one in seven (14%) female managers felt their gender had made it harder for them to succeed at work. In stark contrast, only one in 14 (7%) male managers reported the same.
The findings highlight that gender bias and barriers – both real and perceived – remain widespread across many UK industries. Female leaders and senior managers are the most affected by gender bias, with nearly a third (32%) of female respondents in leadership or senior management roles reporting discriminatory experiences at work or unfavourable treatment during recruitment due to their gender. Additionally, one in six (16%) believe their gender has made career success more difficult to achieve.
DISCRIMINATION AT WORK
Gender discrimination is also alarmingly common among those in middle or junior management roles. Nearly one in four (23%) female managers have faced gender discrimination in their careers, compared to one in seven (14%) male managers.
And it’s not just managers who are impacted. One in nine (11%) female employees in non-management roles reported experiencing gender discrimination at work or during job searches, compared to 6.2% of male employees in similar positions.
Regardless of seniority, women are more likely than men to encounter gender-related barriers, such as workplace discrimination, hiring bias, and lower pay (the UK’s gender pay gap currently stands at 13.1% in favour of men). The data shows that just 3.2% of male employees in non-management roles and 7% of male managers believe their gender has hindered their career progression. In contrast, these numbers double for women in equivalent roles, rising to 7.7% and 14%, respectively.
GENDER BIAS CHALLENGES
Being self-employed doesn’t appear to negate the challenges associated with gender bias either. If anything, it could make some barriers more pronounced. Nearly one in five (18%) self-employed women, compared to a scant 0.9% of self-employed men, felt that their gender had made it harder to be successful in their work.
Chart showing the share of UK workers who feel that their gender has made it harder to succeed at work:
| Share of women in these roles who feel that their gender has made it harder to succeed at work | Share of men in these roles who feel that their gender has made it harder to succeed at work | |
| Leaders and senior management | 16% | 9.4% |
| Middle management | 12% | 4.8% |
| Junior management | 15% | 5% |
| Management roles (all levels) | 14% | 7% |
| Non-management roles | 7.7% | 3.2% |
| Self-employed | 18% | 0.9% |
GENDER BIAS & INEQUALITY BY INDUSTRY
Unsurprisingly, women working in top-level roles in male-dominated industries are those most likely to report gender inequalities and discrimination. Female managers working in law, for example, are four times more likely to say that they’ve faced gender obstacles in their careers than their male counterparts (42% vs 10% respectively).
It’s a similar story for those employed in energy and utilities. A third (33%) of female managers, compared to 11% of male managers, in this industry feel that their gender has made it tougher to achieve career success. As well as transport and logistics (21% vs 3.1%), property and construction (20% vs 5%), business, consulting and management (20% vs 10%), and engineering and manufacturing (16% vs 1.4%).
Share of managers who feel that their gender has made it harder to succeed at work, by industry: (ranked by the percentage difference between women’s and men’s responses):
- Energy and utilities: 33% of female managers vs. 11% of male managers
- Transport and logistics: 21% vs. 3.1%
- Property and construction: 20% vs. 5%
- Retail: 17% vs. 2.4%
- Engineering and manufacturing: 16% vs. 1.4%
- Business, consulting, and management: 20% vs. 10%
- Accountancy, banking, and finance (including insurance and pensions): 14% vs. 4.9%
- Public services and administration: 12% vs. 4.3%
- Hospitality and events management: 19% vs. 11%
- Information technology: 16% vs. 11%
- Healthcare: 9.2% vs. 5.4%
- Creative arts and design: 30% vs. 27%
- Teaching and education: 6.2% vs. 5.6%
- Sales: 5.6% vs. 5%
- Charity and voluntary work: 5.3% vs. 11%
GENDER BIAS IMPACT
So why do women, especially those in management, feel the weight of gender bias more acutely? Experts point to a combination of workplace culture, stereotypes, and systemic barriers.
“Stereotypes and gender bias, whether unconscious or overt, still shape how women are perceived and treated at work,” stated Claire Williams, Chief People and Operations Officer at Ciphr. “Women in leadership often have fewer role models and sponsors, making it harder to climb the corporate ladder. In male-dominated industries, these challenges are even more pronounced.”
Williams also highlighted the ‘likeability penalty’ – where women are judged more harshly for being assertive or ambitious – behaviours typically rewarded in men. This pressure can lead women to over-prepare and self-censor to avoid negative perceptions, creating an additional “performance tax.”
Ann Allcock, Ciphr’s Head of Diversity, added that workplace cultures still tend to favour traditionally ‘male’ traits and leadership styles. “Women are often held to higher performance standards than men,” she explained. “And because of lingering gender norms, women are more likely to take on flexible or part-time roles due to caregiving responsibilities, which can carry a professional cost.”
Click here to access Ciphr’s full study on Workplace Discrimination in the UK.
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