The belief that there are eternal and universal differences between the sexes is a popular one – but it’s one that continues to underpin gender inequality and discrimination both in the workplace and beyond. This short course looks at the nature of gender bias and explains how it impacts on both individuals and organisations.
Studies have shown that contrary to common opinion, there are no differences at all in terms of women’s and men’s cognitive abilities. What’s more, the gendered roles that today appear immutable have not always been so. History tells us that prior to the industrial revolution, men and women performed a wide range of mutually interchangeable roles, and even 100 years ago, jobs that today are seen as typically ‘female’ were done almost exclusively by men. Yet today’s workplace is hampered more than ever by perceptions of gender-specific roles and broadly accepted ‘norms’ of gender behaviour – and organisations are suffering as a result.
In this ground-breaking new course from Skill Boosters, Professor Binna Kandola and Dr Jo Kandola explain how today’s gender inequality stems not from biology and evolution but from artificial social constructs and show how challenging gender bias can deliver huge benefits for both individuals and organisations.
