Antoinette Mayer was employed at DigiSys, a technology company with a significant net worth. A noteworthy aspect of the company was that a considerable number of senior managers had retired from the military. One day, Jay Strong, Mayer’s supervisor, engaged in a somewhat uncomfortable conversation with her. The discussion began with professional matters but gradually shifted towards personal topics. Over time, Strong started displaying increased warmth towards Mayer. He coincidentally encountered her more frequently in the company cafeteria and requested more time from her, claiming it was necessary for gathering updates. After several such occurrences, Mayer decided to take action and sought assistance from the Human Resources vice president.
He told her that he didn’t think she had much of a case. The company was full of military types who had not quite got the hang of working with women in the civilian sector. As a black woman, she had done her share of educating and was probably tired of it, but pursuit of an investigation wasn’t worth her career and she should lighten up a little.
According to CMU (2008), more than half of US women executives say they have suffered sexual harassment. Harassment results in stress, absenteeism, productivity declines, turnover, and lawsuits.
Solutions to address inappropriate workplace behavior include increasing awareness, offering training programs, and enforcing clearly communicated rules and penalties. According to Murren (2011), each workplace has its own unique atmosphere, and employees typically learn to work well together over time. However, there are cases where behavior crosses the line and creates conflicts among employees. To mitigate such issues, many companies now provide annual ethics courses that define the expected standards of behavior and encourage employees to voice any concerns they may have about company policies.
In a supportive environment, confronting an issue head on can lead to finding positive solutions for incidents of harassment or workplace abuse, which should never be tolerated. It is important to address and stop obnoxious or unacceptable behavior, even if it may not be popular. Nikki Bliss, the daughter of Pentecostal missionaries, had a background of rough treatment and adventure. Seeking a career as a trader, she joined Haskell and Higgins, a Wall Street brokerage firm, where she directly worked for the renowned Wall Street figure, Bertram Law.
Despite being the highest-earning partner in the firm, he maintained a chaotic trading room atmosphere reminiscent of a disorganized fraternity house. Despite his esteemed status, his language was often vulgar, referring to Bliss as “bitch” instead of her name. In addition, he frequently left explicit material and a sexual aid on her desk for public display. Throughout the day and in the presence of others, he would inquire about her sexual preferences, the color of her underwear, and her interest in group activities.
Being the only woman trainee on the floor, she became weary of the constant barrage of vulgar jokes and suggestive gestures. The trading room’s atmosphere posed obstacles to her learning. She became hesitant to ask questions, fearing scrutiny and harassment. When asked about her progress, she was unsure how to reply. She questioned whether complaining would make her appear weak and whether her remarks would reach Law and have positive or negative consequences. Although she had considered transferring, her desire to work on the trading floor remained strong.
According to Heathfield (2011), sexual harassment refers to the persistent, unwelcome actions of one employee towards another employee, involving sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical behavior of a sexual nature that goes against the recipient’s consent. This type of harassment can manifest in various scenarios, such as offensive jokes, gestures, sexually explicit clothing, the transmission or posting of sexually explicit emails or images, and the display of sexually suggestive objects, pictures, or posters. Even though reporting Law’s behavior may result in Bliss being transferred or losing training opportunities, it is necessary due to the highly inappropriate nature of Law’s actions.
He is considered the best in his field, but his inappropriate behavior is not acceptable. Is Equal Fair? Moses Wu wanted to advance in the ranks at ETech. He joined ETech early on and has been with the company since it started. He had the necessary qualifications and was more knowledgeable about technology than anyone else, but he felt like he was experiencing a barrier in his advancement and would likely be stuck working on new technologies alone in a lab for the rest of his career. It’s been three months since he shared his aspirations with his boss, but he hasn’t received any response.
Wu, the only Asian employee and one of the few not from a Western background, felt like he stood out both in the office and at social events outside of work. Despite not being aggressive, his expertise made him highly sought after and valued. However, he wondered if his “otherness” could hinder his chances of advancing beyond the lab. Hester (2007) states that minorities often encounter a “glass ceiling” when aiming for higher management positions in many companies. These limitations may not be immediately apparent but they do exist. Wu has informed his boss about his significance as a central figure in the company.
Since he has not received a response from his boss, it is necessary for him to remind him once again of his credentials and contributions to the company so that he does not continue to face obstacles in advancing his career.
Julie MacKenzie was an exceptional marketer at Jensen and Rigby, a multinational consumer products company. MacKenzie belonged to the esteemed “Re-Re” team comprising individuals who would jointly decide whether a product should be terminated or relaunched. MacKenzie always regarded herself as an equal member of this team.
Surprising one of the men who was unaware of her gender, she announced her pregnancy. His comment about her gaining a “Mom’s-eye view” of the products made her ponder how the group dynamics would shift now that she was embracing her feminine role. The potential concealed costs of constantly being viewed as “one of the guys” began to cross her mind. As stated by Pinto (2011), there is a clear and strong bias against mothers in the workplace. Managers and colleagues become aware of this bias, known as maternal wall bias, when a woman becomes pregnant, returns from maternity leave, or adopts a part-time or flexible schedule.
Maternal bias stems from the notion that mothers are inferior in competence and dedication to their jobs, and that they should prioritize staying at home since they cannot excel as both caregivers and employees. Upon MacKenzie’s return from maternity leave, proving her equal competence as a mother to her male colleagues might be difficult due to potential difficulties in maintaining previous levels of socialization. Nonetheless, it is crucial for her to overcome this challenge by assimilating into the male group. It is advisable for MacKenzie to establish clear boundaries while integrating with her colleagues.
