Despite some improvements, women are still underrepresented at the top levels of companies. Why is this? Women make up 50% of the workforce and are capable, dedicated, and ambitious. Performance bias might be one reason—it’s an unconscious belief that women are less capable of doing a new role that they haven’t done before.
This type of gender bias exists in many workplaces and it’s one of the reasons some women are not able to advance in their careers.
Men tend to give advice to “keep working hard,” because that worked for them. But that won’t work for women because of performance bias and other gender biases in workplaces. So, let’s look at what it is and how women can overcome it to reach their career goals.
What is Performance Bias?
Any bias is an unconscious decision—it’s not something we are consciously in control of. We don’t even realize when we’re making an unconscious decision according to our biases. Studies show that most people underestimate their own biases and overestimate their egalitarianism. And while there are many tips for developing self-awareness, the problem is when we don’t try to become aware of our biases and how they’re impacting decision-making. And gender bias is negatively impacting women seeking career advancement. Performance bias is, simply a negative judgement towards a person based on their performance. Women are often the recipient of this bias because they are seen as less capable at doing a job they’ve never done before. A boss may pass them over for a promotion—even if they ask!—because they don’t see a woman in the role. It’s so common for women to be passed over for a promotion that it’s called the “broken rung”—a missing first step to get into management or leadership positions. Click on the video below to watch and learn more about gender bias in the workplace. Knowing that the performance bias is at play, women need to strategize and do things a little differently. My Promotion Plan is designed to help women achieve career advancement by creating a plan for career advancement, boosting confidence, and initiating a conversation with a boss.How Women Can Overcome Performance Bias
Performance bias is holding women back. And, because it’s subconscious, it’s not going to just go away on its own! Women need to speak up, talk to your boss, and use your accomplishments to earn a promotion! There are two options to overcome this gender bias:- Take something on before you get the position and title. That means taking on more responsibilities and acting as if you’re in the role before you even get there.
- Show your strategy for how to take on the position. Lay out a plan about how you would tackle issues and move forward. This helps your boss see you in the role because you are showing exactly what you can do. Writing this down is very effective—you’re
- Either way, take your career advancement into your own hands! Women need to fight actually 42% more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down! Performance bias by showing just how capable and ready you are for a promotion.
