Thought Leadership
MASCULINITY IN THE WORKPLACE REPORT 2023
Our latest MIW research, delivered in collaboration with The Hobbs Consultancy, is focused on how inclusive and diverse workplaces are in the UK, what leadership traits are currently rewarded in the workplace (i.e. are they predominantly traditional masculine traits?), how many men are currently considered active allies and what that allyship looks like. The report also includes practical ways for you to get your men more engaged with inclusion, equity and diversity.
SEXUALISATION IN THE WORKPLACE REPORT
We cannot have equality, mutual respect and genuine psychological safety in the workplace until we all come together to tackle the issue of the sexualisation of women at work, and in the wider world.
This report is designed to to bring about a greater understanding of women's experiences in the workplace, highlight the challenges that exist, create discussion and act as a platform for change.
THE THINGS PEOPLE SAY RESEARCH (IWD)
What people say in and about the workplace matters. Behind the statements people make is a belief which can tell you so much about the barriers to gender equality in a company’s culture. Our IWD report, delivered in collaboration with Gill Whitty-Collins, examines the language that still pervades the workplace and is still getting in the way of gender equity and hopefully acts as a platform for discussion and education.
MASCULINITY IN THE WORKPLACE REPORT 2022
Our latest MIW research, delivered in collaboration with The Hobbs Consultancy, tackles the question “How can men stay relevant in the workplace?” The report covers a number of areas including whether workplaces continue to be masculine, the ongoing inclusive leadership gap and the level of engagement for employees that identify as men. A must read for anyone who is looking to make their workplace more inclusive and diverse.
MEN LEANING IN RESEARCH
In October 2022 we carried out a survey to senior leaders and managers who identify as men to better understand the impact of actively leaning into Inclusion and Diversity. The report covers the reasons for leaning in, key challenges and the positive impact on both the business and them as leaders and human beings. It also provides some very practical tips in engaging more of your men with inclusion and diversity.
MASCULINITY IN THE WORKPLACE REPORT 2021
In 2021, we undertook research in order to understand better how workplaces and gender roles had or had not shifted in response to the upheaval caused by the pandemic. What we discovered is that employees’ ability to be collaborative was dependent on their gender, age and seniority, with young and junior men feeling completely unable to collaborate even in decision-making with significant repercussions.
10 Ways Men Can Be Better Allies For Gender Equality
“No minority group in history has ever affected change without the support of the majority and alas women are still in the minority at the top of so many industries. We know from research that gender equality has wide-reaching, positive impacts for all.
And yet, gender equality is still usually only talked about in the context of women. You would be surprised how many times we have been told that engaging men is not part of a company’s gender equality mission.”
MASCULINITY IN THE WORKPLACE REPORT 2020
To coincide with our Masculinity in the Workplace event in 2020, we carried out original research to understand how people are feeling in the workplace in relation to masculinity. This white paper presents the results and details what kind of leadership traits people want to see in the future, how the impact of traditional masculinity is harming everyone during this pandemic and specifically underrepresented groups. We also present solutions for how employers can help accelerate change.
TOUGH AT THE TOP - WHY MANAGEMENT IS STILL MACHO
“It’s vital we shine a light on the damage masculine cultures can have on everyone in the workplace, including men. Lockdown and the coronavirus pandemic have taken a massive toll on workplace cultures, and the past six months have shown us the importance of cultural intelligence, the need for empathy and the power of vulnerability. These are behaviours we need to start mirroring in the workplace, as our research shows.…
ITS TIME TO FIX THE WORKPLACE
…..Now, emotional intelligence, empathy and vulnerability – traditionally seen as more feminine characteristics – are claiming equal currency. Yet for many, adopting these behaviours is a battle against a lifetime of conditioning. In his book How Not To Be A Boy, comedian and actor Robert Webb says: “When we tell a boy to act ‘like a man’, we’re effectively saying ‘stop expressing those feelings’. If the boy hears that often enough, it starts to sound uncannily like ‘stop feeling those feelings’.”…
MASCULINE CULTURE IS DAMAGING YOUR BUSINESS
…….The workplace has been created over the past millenia by men – and, let’s face it: white, cisgender, heteronormative men – so is ‘masculine’ by design. Traditional and therefore stereotypical leadership traits like ambition, confidence and dominance are celebrated and rewarded. Success is often judged by how far you climb up the ladder – how many people you kick off along the way is often immaterial…..
TALKING VULNERABILITY IN MEN
“Vulnerability is the ability to be with uncertainty. And it is about emotional exposure. It's at the core of connection with other people. No one wants to ‘do’ vulnerability, yet I've noticed resistance is stronger in men. We’ve constructed this idea of masculinity that is about coping, providing and being strong. Perceived weakness is not an option for men, largely because it would mean their masculinity is on the line. This costs men dearly."
UNCONSCIOUS BIAS
Unconscious bias and its negative impact on women in the workplace:
“Unconscious bias is really a side effect of the way our brain loves to categorise and to stereotype. As human beings, we are able to sift through vast quantities of data on a daily basis and our brain does that by categorising the data. It is not possible to be human and to completely avoid the use of categories and stereotypes".
TOKEN MAN
Our co-founder reiterates the need for men to get into the gender equality conversation and details what we have learnt so far:
"It's wrong to assume that creating a more inclusive workplace for women will just benefit women."
CAREER
Climbing the creative ladder: why women should prioritise building their own expertise:
"As we enter a new age of creativity, the need to learn, unlearn and relearn has never been more important. While we need to demand more from agencies, I believe there is an opportunity for women to close the gap by taking control of their learning."
