The Cultural Roots of Gender Bias and Horizontal Hostility in the Workplace

Abstract

A healthy workplace is an environment where everyone can work peacefully with both sexes, regardless of their roles as leaders, subordinates, or colleagues. Unfortunately, achieving this ideal remains elusive, and the situation is more challenging for women, due to their underrepresentation in many industries. Studies have revealed that especially women in management positions are subject to biased evaluations by their subordinates, colleagues, and managers. A deep understanding of the cultural underpinnings is essential to fully grasp the existence, prevalence and influence of gender bias in the workplace. Thus, this study aims to impartially investigate the cultural factors that may shape employees' preferences for the gender of their managers, alongside exploring potential biases towards managerial gender from a cultural standpoint. To achieve the research goals, an open-ended survey was administered to 302 professionals in Istanbul. The results indicate a prevalent bias against female managers by individuals of both genders. Moreover, the study uncovers that women are prone to harboring more prejudiced views towards their female peers and superiors. These insights are analyzed through a cultural lens, and recommendations for management are proposed.