Introduction
Despite the intention to provide equal and safe working conditions and change the representation of workplace diversity, there are still many concerns about employees’ gender and race. In specific fields and high occupational positions, most women and ethnic minorities remain strongly underrepresented. At the same time, men do not get much attention in areas like health care and elementary education (Van Laar et al., 2019).
Instead of focusing on the roots and outcomes of these differences, people continue living in a world of stereotypes that affect their abilities, decisions, and behaviors. Employment discrimination has many causes, but the most common ones include gender and race (Song & Li, 2020). These stereotypes are currently observed in the United States and across the globe. People need additional help and professional recommendations to understand how to avoid negative stereotypes in the workplace.
This literature review aims to analyze negative gender and race stereotypes and explain the importance of advancement. Changing negative stereotypes based on gender and race in the workplace is not easy, but evaluating their roots, characteristics, and outcomes effectively promotes such improvement strategies as self-assessment and open communication.
Topic Description
In the United States, the progress of negative stereotypes remains a severe problem for the population. Political and social discussions, online comments, and social media become the primary sources of increased exposure to stereotypes that negatively affect human behaviors, create stress, and promote income inequality in racial and ethnic minorities (Welborn et al., 2020). Gender stereotyping, also known as sexism, is commonly observed in the country and prevents the promotion of gender-neutral working conditions (Tabassum & Nayak, 2021).
According to Tucker (2021), full-time women are paid 82 cents for every dollar a man gets, and the situation for working mothers is even worse: only 75 cents for every dollar. At the same time, Remery et al. (2022) notice that the COVID-19 pandemic led to reevaluating women’s positions in work and underlining their importance in the labor market. Thus, it is possible to say that sexism at work has slowed down in terms of employment, while interpersonal relationships and rewards still depend on employee gender in some organizations.
Racial stereotyping, or racism, is another social concern that has already become a real challenge for millions of Americans. This type of judgment is based on the idea that physical characteristics, preferred languages, and behavioral principles depend on ethnicity (Kurinec & Weaver III, 2021). Racial biases do not disappear and lead to identity threats, poor emotional expressions, and cultural exclusion under White leadership and color-blindness (Kyere & Fukui, 2022). As a result, social segregation continues spreading in the United States and changing the quality of education, employment, and payments.
For example, Williams et al. (2019) discovered that for every dollar earned by a White employee, Hispanics have only 73 cents, and Blacks have only 61 cents. However, in the healthcare sphere, the findings differ: while White physicians earn more than Black or Hispanic physicians, Black registered nurses can make more than their White colleagues (Frogner & Schwartz, 2021). Therefore, wage disparities provoked by race and ethnicity are poorly explained and examined because of the hardly predictable impact of different external and internal factors.
The discussion of negative stereotypes in the workplace introduces an essential topic for the current review. Many organizations find it inevitable to face a problem of discrimination because not all women can get the job of their dreams because of their gender, and not all racial minorities are equally respected (Song & Li, 2020). Gender and racial diversity should celebrate human differences and unique characteristics but not be a reason for additional judgments and conflicts. Therefore, change-making strategies must be developed to solve the negative impact of stereotypes and create positive and fair workplace environments.
Literature Review
Causes of Stereotypes
Promoting diversity is one of the recent improvements made by modern companies to establish equal opportunities for men and women to be employed and get good salaries. However, gender prejudice is an old negative stereotype related to misunderstood traditional roles, poor policymaking, and unstable economic provisions (Zhu & Chang, 2020). Many feminist scholars and activists continue investigating sexist policies in different spheres, including healthcare, politics, and science (Gothreau et al., 2022). Their goal is to explain that gender roles are changing, and it is normal for a man to take care of a child when a mother has to work or for a woman to earn more than a man.
Depending on the type of workplace sexism, specific causes are revealed and explained. For example, hostile stereotypes cover such ideas as men’s superiority, women’s unreasonable intentions to gain control over men, and stepping out of traditional roles (Gothreau et al., 2022). Benevolent sexism is related to the desire to support women and provide them with extra opportunities. Compared to hostile causes, the promoters of benevolent sexism believe that women are morally superior to men and must be protected (Gothreau et al., 2022).
Finally, there is implicit sexism when gender-biased beliefs are developed at nonconscious levels. When policymakers introduce their project for or against abortion or the importance of birth control access, they implicitly prove the impact of negative gender stereotypes in the workplace and society (Gothreau et al., 2022). All these steps and ideas cannot be ignored because they affect decision-making and reduce the importance of one opinion (female) over another (male).
Male economic support remains a crucial aspect that shows how men and women cannot neglect the already imposed expectations. Women spend much time and energy raising children and completing household responsibilities, while men are involved in physical activities and mind work (Zhu & Chang, 2020). Men bring money to their families, and women participate in decision-making, but their voices are poorly recognized because of evident male superiority. These traditional backgrounds become a threat to women’s careers because they cannot neglect their households and patriarchal culture (Tabassum & Nayak, 2021). The roots of gender discrimination are hard to identify, but their impact is critical.
Racial stereotypes are highly promoted in social media, policymaking, and American history in general. The leading cause that might explain frequent racial disagreements and concerns is related to the history of slavery in the country. Bailey et al. (2021) address a legacy of African enslavement as a factor that affects the population. In addition, most policies are rooted in slave patrols, which were popular in the 18th century and created to control runaways and predict uprisings (Bailey et al., 2021). Despite slavery abolishment, White dominance was present in the country because Whites enforced laws and created prisons to punish criminals, who were mainly Blacks.
In modern workplaces, White leaders continue appreciating their White colleagues’ achievements and treat their Black employees suspiciously. Racial discrimination gains multiple forms, from personal attitudes to structural changes. Black employees develop perceptions derived not only from being a minority representative but also from being disrespected in hierarchical relationships (Wingfield & Chavez, 2020). Their managers rely on negative stereotypes shared online: YouTube videos, comments, and other offensive content, which contribute to a negative image of ethnic minorities (Welborn et al., 2020). Thus, the causes of racial discrimination include historical cases and today’s judgments.
Stereotypes Outcomes in Employment
Learning what outcomes can be observed is also important when people recognize negative stereotypes and understand why such judgments and perceptions emerge. For example, sexism leads to the inability of women to earn a lot compared to men in the same positions (Tucker, 2021). In addition, women are losing to the wage gap because of race and ethnicity: compared to 1$ earned by White men, white women earn 79 cents, Black women earn 63 cents, Native American women earn 60 cents, and Latinas get only 55 cents (Tucker, 2021). Increased financial problems and dependence on men bother many American women today.
Another result is the impossibility of finding a good job, but accepting the offers disregards personal interests and demands. When women are dissatisfied with their working conditions, they become depressed, anxious, and traumatized because they can change nothing (Welborn et al., 2020). If a woman tries to demonstrate her emotions in the workplace, workplace sanctions against angry women are developed (in comparison, angry men are not penalized) (Marshburn et al., 2020). Black employees want to avoid stereotyping and begin doubting their abilities (McCluney et al., 2021). The results include low self-esteem, reluctance, and mental health problems with time. These outcomes of negative stereotypes can no longer be neglected.
Solutions to Negative Stereotypes
Gender and racial stereotypes are the oldest social problems in the United States, and their solutions require much time and attention. Researchers have noticed that women increased their managerial remuneration and reached top positions in the workplace, allowing them to participate in decision-making and problem-solving equally with men (Belingheri et al., 2021).
Many women organize their companies, lead others, and define their rules and cultures to understand each other better and respect their beliefs. The pandemic has reduced the number of working men and created new opportunities for non-working women (Remery et al., 2022). Instead of focusing on gender or racial differences, employees begin examining their health issues and abilities to work distantly. In other words, companies use gender and racial diversity as a chance to gain the best knowledge and experience.
Another solution to the stereotyping problem is the improvement of its understanding. Diversity is not a reason to reject someone’s principles but a step toward a new world where equality and progress matter (Van Laar et al., 2019). However, England et al. (2020) admit that the progress of gender diversity has slowed because of insignificant policies and poor communication. Thus, it is recommended to help people realize their contributions to negative stereotyping. Interaction between genders and races is a benefit that American companies should use to succeed and gain profits.
Change-Making Strategies
To reduce the impact of negative stereotypes, organizations need to improve employees’ self-knowledge and use their abilities for evaluation. Self-assessment can be promoted to change self-knowledge and personal abilities (Hernandez-Arenaz, 2020). Still, it is always easier to say than do, and additional recommendations should be given.
According to Hernandez-Arenaz (2020), a self-stereotyping mechanism makes people think poorly of themselves because they expect others to do the same. Employees must be the first to reject stereotypes and help employees of all genders and races feel the same. Such steps as regular tests, quizzes, and meetings should be organized to ensure each individual is treated correctly and understood. As soon as they respect themselves, others will forget about external stereotypes.
Another change-making strategy includes the promotion of fair communication between different social groups. Again, it is a leader’s responsibility to explain a company’s vision and check how all employees accept and use the basics. Competence-questioning communication behavior is necessary to indicate doubts and challenges and realize what can be done to change a situation (Briggs et al., 2023). Instead of interrupting or neglecting minority representatives, leaders should follow how people cooperate and give pieces of advice (Briggs et al., 2023).
There has to be a balance between what employees share and what they receive in return. Establishing a diverse cultural context for women and men of different colors and identifying groups with competence stereotypes is a solution for multi-diverse organizations (Briggs et al., 2023). This decision helps to maintain safe psychological levels and equal gender or race representation at all hierarchical levels. As soon as there are no limitations to introducing and sharing their cultural beliefs, fair communication is developed.
Negative stereotypes limit employees’ abilities to perceive the workplace and a constantly changing reality. Reducing such judgments is a step toward equality and diversity at all levels of work. Although employees from all social groups are involved in communication, self-assessment, and information exchange, a leader remains crucial in controlling their behaviors and decisions (Briggs et al., 2023; Hernandez-Arenaz, 2020). Thus, all change-making strategies must be determined and promoted by a company’s leader who respects each person, regardless of gender and race.
Conclusion
In this review, two types of negative stereotypes are discussed, namely gender and race. Each factor has its causes and outcomes on people, personal and professional relationships, and even performance levels. Regarding the prevalence of biased decisions and attitudes in the workplace, researchers develop their studies and gather opinions to find solutions and help organizations promote diversity and gain benefits.
Equal employment and relationships should become a core issue in the American population. Diminishing discrimination is associated with tolerance and acceptance of all individuals to ensure fair employment based on people’s skills and knowledge, not their gender or skin color. Leaders hire people and define the relationships that may be established in the workplace. Change-making strategies to reduce negative stereotypes must become a core element in organizational culture and policies.
As such, self-assessments effectively change self-knowledge and recognize each other’s uniqueness. Fair communication, as a part of regular meetings, is a method to identify all employees’ needs and abilities. As soon as cultural diversity is not a problem or a reason for biased judgments, negative stereotypes about race and gender will be reduced, enhancing skills and knowledge
References
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