Why Gender is Not a Factor in Hiring a Remote Employee

Posted on August 21, 2024August 10, 2024 by Angie Weinberger

Guest post by ANGELINE LICERIO

Discrimination of any kind should be unacceptable in any given situation. Gender discrimination, on the other hand, takes this to another notch, especially in the workplace. The sad reality is that gender discrimination still happens in most hiring processes. I found this surprising, and no wonder if you’re shocked too: in light of our new global situation, those who work remotely also experience gender discrimination. An article published by Harvard Business Review has highlighted that women are viewed by employers to be carrying out more domestic responsibilities, while men are seen to be more career-oriented and likely to expand their work spheres. Another article published by Forbes suggests that men are more likely to put in extra overtime on work tasks, while women pick up the slack with more domestic duties.

So, is gender a factor when hiring a remote employee? The short and definitive answer is “no”. The decision to hire a worker should be based on how they fit the role and how they can contribute to the growth of the organisation. Hiring an employee, especially for a remote position, should always be based on merits, qualifications, and skills.

Is Gender Discrimination Still Happening?

Gender issues in the workplace still happen, and it’s a proven fact. Women and men both get discriminated against when it comes to work, especially remotely. Some employers would often put in their job posting that they only hire women or men for specific roles. This is not illegal just across the whole European Union (Directive 2006/54/EC), but also in many other more authoritarian countries and notably less egalitarian countries. Hence, you might be shocked to read this. Human Rights Watch spotted “men only”, “suitable for men” or the like on thousands of job descriptions in China, despite this being illegal there as well. Read the report here.

While this may be the case, we should also highlight that there are a lot of companies that look past gender differences and many leaders genuinely respect a person for his or her achievements at work. More people have the utmost respect for both women and men in the workplace because of their contributions to their respective fields.

A Different Approach

Hiring remote employees, whether a single one or a full team, requires not only the right skill sets but their ability to work in an unsupervised working environment. Remote work has a lot of merits. At the top of that is more savings timewise and moneywise, which makes this option very attractive to both employers and employees. Remote workers are also not bound by geographic locations, which means that an employer looking to hire has a massive pool of talent at his disposal.

Let’s now look at the skills that make remote workers more employable regardless of their genders.

Self-discipline

A remote employee needs to be able to work with minimal supervision, and being male or female has no bearing on this whatsoever. Remote workers need to block and manage their time for and focus their energy on work when it is time to. Great employees need to be on the clock without anyone telling them to do so, and this should be among the top considerations when looking to hire remote workers. This quality is never gender-related – it is either a person has self-discipline or not.

Strong, Above-average Communication Skills

Having average communication skills will never be enough for a remote worker because communication is a crucial element for a successful remote-based work. In this case, a person can have excellent communication skills regardless of sex. There is no workaround for not having above-average communication skills in a remote working environment.

For one, a remote employee would need to be in constant communication with their teammates and their direct supervisors. Instructions will likely be over calls, emails, and video conferences. Average communication skills help when you’re working with someone face to face, but you will need to be an excellent communicator to thrive in the remote work environment.

Remote workers need to have the extra sensitivity to listen and hear what is actually being said in an email or telephone conversation. It would take above average communication skills to read between the lines of an email and to pick up the nuances in a conversation.

Troubleshooting Skills

The ability to troubleshoot not only work-related problems concerning clients but also technical and business continuity problems are crucial when it comes to working remotely. Remember that when a person works remotely, there is no IT department to support them round the clock. A remote worker should, at the very least, have rudimentary troubleshooting skills when it comes to networks and computers. Without this, simple installation or a simple network problem can cause delays in their deliverables.

Troubleshooting does not always mean technical problems, but it is also about finding out the root cause of a problem. We need not to reiterate it, but troubleshooting skills are never dependent on the gender of the employee.

Have Reliable Judgment

Some would say that this is part of having troubleshooting skills, but for us, having a reliable judgment is completely separate. It comes very handy whenever decisions have to be made without the help of a team or a committee. A person who has great judgement, whether male or female, can make decisions that will affect the business he or she is representing as a whole.

The ability to rely on themselves and weigh their options well is one rare but necessary skill to have as a remote worker.

In Closing

Hiring remote employees brings a lot of benefits to the table. Apart from more productivity and motivation, the company can save money and get higher quality output in the long run. This is why gender should never be a cause for someone’s disqualification.

It is unfortunate that this topic even exists and that we feel the need to enumerate the right qualifications for hiring a remote employee. Gender ultimately has no bearing on the effectiveness of a remote worker to do their jobs well. Any company that uses gender to segregate their employees should rethink their hiring process if they want to thrive in their chosen industry. Being male or female has nothing to do with a person’s ability to succeed in their jobs, be it remote or not.

How the Author Defines a Remote Worker

In this article, the author refers to remote workers as anyone who works outside of a traditional office environment. They can be working from home, working from a coworking space, at a coffee shop, etc.

Resources and further reading

Guest post by ANGELINE LICERIO

Is Gender Discrimination Still Happening?

A Different Approach

Let’s now look at the skills that make remote workers more employable regardless of their genders.

Self-discipline

Strong, Above-average Communication Skills

Troubleshooting Skills

Have Reliable Judgment

The ability to rely on themselves and weigh their options well is one rare but necessary skill to have as a remote worker.

In Closing

How the Author Defines a Remote Worker

Resources and further reading

Read the insights of the 4th edition of the Advance and HSG Gender Intelligence Report.

https://globalpeopletransitions.com/?s=Tips+for+Managing+an+International+Workforce

https://globalpeopletransitions.com/?s=Values+in+Global+Virtual+Teams

https://cdn.gendereconomy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/COVID-and-gender-GATE-policy-brief-.pdf

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11205-018-2025-x

References

Ibarra H., Gillard J., Chamorro-Premuzic T. (2020, July 16). ‘Why WFH isn’t necessarily good for women’. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved August 14, 2020 from https://hbr.org/2020/07/why-wfh-isnt-necessarily-good-for-women

Stauffer, B. (2018, April 23). ‘Only Men Apply’, Human Rights Watch. Retrieved August 14, 2020, from https://www.hrw.org/report/2018/04/23/only-men-need-apply/gender-discrimination-job-advertisements-china

Gaskell A. (2020, April 1). ‘Breaking Down The Gender Divide To Survive Working From Home’. Forbes. Retrieved 2020, August 14 from https://www.forbes.com/sites/adigaskell/2020/04/01/breaking-down-the-gender-divide-to-survive-working-from-home/#7996063720cf

https://globalpeopletransitions.com/?s=Tips+for+Managing+an+International+Workforce

https://globalpeopletransitions.com/?s=Values+in+Global+Virtual+Teams

https://cdn.gendereconomy.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/COVID-and-gender-GATE-policy-brief-.pdf

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11205-018-2025-x

References

Author’s Bio

Angeline Licerio is a content writer for Elevate Corporate Training. Like the rest of her teammates at Elevate, Angeline believes that she can help create better bottom lines, happier and healthier staff and build communities where people engage with each other in high functioning relationships.

Here is her LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angeline-licerio-2a3406107/

Privilege in the Workplace

Posted on February 13, 2024March 18, 2024 by Angie Weinberger

Breaking Down Privilege: Recognizing and Overcoming Inequality

In a world that is becoming increasingly aware of social issues and inequalities, it is crucial to delve into privilege. Privilege, often defined as unearned advantages enjoyed by certain individuals or groups, plays a significant role in perpetuating societal inequality. This thought-provoking topic calls for a deep dive into the various forms of privilege and their impact on marginalized communities. By understanding and acknowledging privilege, we can take essential steps toward creating a more inclusive and equitable world for all. In this article, we will explore the different dimensions of privilege, examine how it manifests in our day-to-day lives, and discuss effective strategies to overcome inequality. Together, let’s break down the barriers that privilege erects and work towards a more just and fair society for everyone.

Understanding privilege and inequality

Privilege is a complex and multifaceted concept that requires a nuanced understanding. It refers to the advantages and benefits that certain individuals or groups receive solely based on their social identity, such as race, gender, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status. These advantages are often unearned and can manifest in various ways, including access to educational opportunities, healthcare, employment, and legal protection. Understanding privilege begins with recognizing that it is not something individuals choose or control but rather a result of societal structures and systems perpetuating inequality.

Privilege and inequality are deeply intertwined. Inequality refers to the unequal distribution of resources, opportunities, and power within a society. Privilege exacerbates existing inequalities by granting certain groups advantages while marginalizing others. It is important to note that privilege does not mean that individuals with privilege do not face hardships or challenges. Instead, it means that they do not face the additional barriers and discrimination that marginalized communities often experience.

Recognizing and understanding the various forms of privilege is crucial in addressing and dismantling inequalities. By acknowledging our own privilege and the ways in which it intersects with other forms of oppression, we can begin to challenge the systems that perpetuate inequality and work towards a more just society.

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Types of privilege

Privilege exists in many different forms and can intersect with various aspects of our identities. Some common types of privilege include:

**White privilege**: White privilege refers to the inherent advantages and benefits that white individuals experience in a society that is structured around white norms and values. It includes advantages in education, employment, housing, and interactions with law enforcement.
**Male privilege**: Male privilege refers to the advantages enjoyed by men in a patriarchal society. Men often have more opportunities for career advancement, higher wages, and greater visibility and representation in positions of power.
**Heterosexual privilege**: Heterosexual privilege relates to the advantages that heterosexual individuals have in a society that values and privileges heterosexuality. It includes legal protections, societal acceptance, and access to healthcare and family benefits.
**Cisgender privilege**: Cisgender privilege refers to the advantages that cisgender individuals have in a society that upholds cisnormativity. Cisgender individuals, whose gender identity aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth, often experience less discrimination and have greater access to healthcare, legal recognition, and societal acceptance.
**Socioeconomic privilege**: Socioeconomic privilege refers to the advantages that individuals from higher socioeconomic backgrounds have, such as access to quality education, healthcare, housing, and financial security.

It is important to recognize that privilege is not limited to these examples and can intersect with other forms of oppression, such as ableism, ageism, and religious privilege. Understanding the different dimensions of privilege is essential in promoting equality and dismantling systemic barriers.

The impact of privilege on marginalized communities

Privilege has a profound impact on marginalized communities, perpetuating existing inequalities and creating barriers to social and economic mobility. Marginalized communities, such as people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, and individuals with disabilities, often face systemic discrimination and limited access to resources and opportunities.

For example, in the United States, the racial wealth gap is a stark illustration of the impact of privilege. White households, on average, hold significantly more wealth than Black and Hispanic households. This wealth disparity is a result of historical and ongoing systemic racism, which has limited opportunities for wealth accumulation and economic mobility for marginalized communities.

Privilege also affects access to education and healthcare. Students from privileged backgrounds often have better access to quality schools and resources, leading to better educational outcomes and opportunities for higher education. Similarly, privileged individuals often have better access to healthcare, resulting in better health outcomes and longer life expectancy.

The impact of privilege extends beyond material advantages. It also affects representation and visibility in various fields, such as politics, media, and the arts. Marginalized communities are often underrepresented, which perpetuates stereotypes and further marginalizes these groups.

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Overcoming privilege and promoting equality

Overcoming privilege requires more than just recognition; it necessitates action and a commitment to promoting equality. Here are some strategies to help overcome privilege and work towards a more equitable society:

**Amplify marginalized voices**: Use your privilege to uplift and amplify the voices of marginalized communities. Share their stories, experiences, and perspectives. Create space for marginalized individuals to be heard and seen.
**Support and engage in allyship**: Support and ally with marginalized communities. This includes listening to their needs and concerns, advocating for their rights, and challenging discriminatory behaviors and practices.
**Educate others**: Share your knowledge and understanding of privilege. Engage in conversations with friends, family, and colleagues to raise awareness about privilege and its impact. Please encourage others to educate themselves and take action.
**Support organizations and initiatives**: Contribute to organizations and initiatives working towards equality and social justice. This can be through donations, volunteering, or advocating for policy changes that address systemic inequality.

By taking these steps, we can all contribute to dismantling privilege and creating a more inclusive and equitable society.

Privilege and intersectionality

Intersectionality is a concept that recognizes that individuals may experience multiple forms of oppression and privilege simultaneously. Intersectionality highlights the interconnected nature of different social identities and the ways in which they intersect to shape experiences of privilege and discrimination.

For example, a Black woman may face both racism and sexism, which can compound the discrimination she experiences. Intersectionality calls for a recognition of the unique experiences and challenges faced by individuals who occupy multiple marginalized identities.

Understanding intersectionality is crucial in addressing privilege and promoting equality. It requires us to consider the ways in which privilege and discrimination intersect and to challenge systems that perpetuate multiple forms of oppression.

Challenging societal structures that perpetuate privilege

Addressing privilege requires challenging the societal structures and systems that perpetuate inequality. Here are some ways to challenge these structures:

**Advocate for policy changes**: Support policies that promote equality and dismantle systemic barriers. This can include advocating for fair hiring practices, affordable housing initiatives, and educational reforms that address disparities.
**Challenge discriminatory practices**: Speak out against discriminatory practices and policies within your community, workplace, or educational institutions. Call attention to biased hiring practices, unequal pay, and exclusionary policies.
**Engage in activism**: Get involved in activism and advocacy efforts that aim to dismantle privilege and promote equality. This can include participating in protests, signing petitions, and joining community organizations that work towards social justice.
**Vote and hold elected officials accountable**: Use your voting power to support candidates and policies that prioritize equality and social justice. Hold elected officials accountable for their actions and advocate for policies that address privilege and inequality.

Resources for further education and self-reflection

Continuing education and self-reflection are essential in challenging privilege and promoting equality. Here are some resources to deepen your understanding:

**Books**: “White Fragility” by Robin DiAngelo, “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander, “Sister Outsider” by Audre Lorde.
**Podcasts**: “Code Switch” by NPR, “Intersectionality Matters!” by Kimberlé Crenshaw, “Seeing White” by Scene on Radio.
**Websites and organizations**: The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), The Trevor Project, Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund.

Taking action to address privilege

Recognizing privilege is not enough; action is necessary to address and dismantle it. Ways to take action include:

**Support marginalized-owned businesses**: Make a conscious effort to support businesses owned by marginalized individuals. This can help address economic disparities and promote financial empowerment.
**Engage in dialogue**: Have open and honest conversations about privilege, inequality, and social justice with friends, family, and colleagues. Encourage respectful dialogue and listen to diverse perspectives.
**Volunteer**: Get involved in volunteer opportunities that support marginalized communities. This can include mentoring programs, community outreach initiatives, and advocacy work.
**Donate**: Contribute to organizations that are working towards social justice and equality. Even small donations can make a significant impact.

Conclusion: The importance of ongoing conversations and efforts to dismantle privilege

Breaking down privilege and overcoming inequality is an ongoing process that requires continuous effort. By understanding and recognizing privilege, challenging societal structures, and taking action, we can work towards a more equitable and inclusive society. It is crucial to engage in ongoing conversations, educate ourselves and others, and actively support marginalized communities. Together, let’s dismantle privilege and create a world where everyone has equal opportunities and rights.

Dealing with Privilege in the Workplace

Educate yourself: Take the initiative to learn about different forms of privilege and the experiences of marginalized groups. Read books, and articles, and engage in conversations that challenge your perspectives.
Listen actively: Create a space for marginalized voices to be heard and respected. Actively listen without dismissing or diminishing their experiences. Encourage open dialogue and seek to understand perspectives that differ from your own.
Check your biases: Reflect on your unconscious biases and work towards dismantling them. Be mindful of assumptions or stereotypes you may hold and consciously challenge them.
Amplify marginalized voices: Use your privilege to uplift and amplify the voices of marginalized colleagues. Offer support, recognition, and opportunities to those who are often unheard or overlooked.
Advocate for change: Engage in discussions and initiatives that aim to address systemic inequities in the workplace. Use your privilege to advocate for policies and practices that promote diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Use your privilege to help others and be an Ally: Actively support individuals from marginalized groups by being an ally. This involves listening, learning, and speaking up against discrimination or biases when you witness them.

Self-reflect and identify areas in which you do not have privilege and areas in which you do have privilege. Avoid the urge to deny your privilege. If you notice any resistance or wish to deny your privilege, please write down where you resist and why.

Resources

Ahn, S. (2023) “The Intersectionality Venn Diagram | Tidal Equality,” Tidal Equality [Preprint]. Available at: https://www.tidalequality.com/blog/a-venn-diagram-of-belonging-where-identities-equity-and-inclusion-intersect.

Akassam (2022) Diversity Toolkit: A guide to discussing Identity, power and privilege | MsW@USC. Available at: https://msw.usc.edu/mswusc-blog/diversity-workshop-guide-to-discussing-identity-power-and-privilege/.

Akassam (2022b) Diversity Toolkit: A guide to discussing Identity, power and privilege | MsW@USC. Available at: https://msw.usc.edu/mswusc-blog/diversity-workshop-guide-to-discussing-identity-power-and-privilege/.

Chugh, D. (2020) Use your everyday privilege to help others. Available at: https://hbr.org/2018/09/use-your-everyday-privilege-to-help-others.

DiAngelo, R. and Sensoy, Ö. (2010) “Doing One’s Own Personal Work on Privilege and Oppression,” LSA Inslusive Teaching . Available at:

https://sites.lsa.umich.edu/inclusive-teaching/wp-content/uploads/sites/853/2021/12/Doing-Ones-Own-Personal-Work-on-Privilege-and-Oppression.pdf.

Jagoo, K. (2023) “How to navigate your own privilege,” Verywell Mind, 23 January. Available at: https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-navigate-your-own-privilege-5076057.

Jones, D. (2019) “Check Your Privilege: What it Means and How to Do It,” www.linkedin.com. Available at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/check-your-privilege-what-means-how-do-deetta-jones/.

Jourdan, L. (2021) Talk about privilege at work. Available at: https://hbr.org/2021/08/talk-about-privilege-at-work.

Weinberger, A. (2019). The Global Mobility Workbook (Third Edition). Global People Transitions, Zurich.

Weinberger, A. (2023). The Global Rockstar Album – 21 Verses to Find Your Tact as an Inclusive Leader. Global People Transitions, Zurich.

Managing an International Workforce

Posted on September 4, 2023August 9, 2023 by Angie Weinberger

Managing an International Workforce

by Brooke Faulkner via @faulknercreek

The worldwide web has also led to a more worldwide economy, and despite recent political manoeuvrings and issues with trade, that situation is not likely to change anytime soon. Many companies have moved toward not only a remote workforce, but one that is international as well.

Think of the social media sharing app Buffer. The company has a 100 percent remote workforce with no physical home office. Employees and often their spouses are treated to a once-a-year retreat paid for with the money the company saves on infrastructure. Employees work around the world, in many different places and environments.

How do they manage this workforce? How do other countries do it? What does it take to manage employees across the globe and from various cultures who speak different languages? It is challenging, but for many companies, it is not only worth it, but it is a necessary evil.

Understanding Culture

One of the first challenges you will face is maintaining company culture when a different societal culture defines the country where your employees are located. When any company is looking to expand globally, it is important to maintain vision, mission, and values. This involves some important steps in cross-cultural management.

Send Experienced Teams to Establish New Teams

No matter how great a leader you might be, you cannot instil company culture by yourself. Typically, as a company grows, the company culture becomes a blend of employees and management working together. Assemble a small, experienced team to help set up and manage remote teams even if they do so virtually. This will assure that mission and vision are communicated properly.

Understand and Honor Local Customs and Traditions

You cannot establish a workforce presence in another country without understanding and respecting local customs and traditions including holidays, religious restrictions, and other cultural differences. To work with these things, you will have to think outside the box and have alternative holidays and other considerations.

This translates to many different areas, including the location and layout of offices, necessary break times, and even dress codes if you have one. Your team must work to align your company culture with that of your host country.

Work at Cultural Alignment

This cultural alignment will take work. There are several important aspects of aligning your company culture globally, and it will not happen organically. Here are some points to consider.

Direction and purpose: What is your “why” and how does it translate to a new culture?
Supervisor support: What does management support mean, and how can it be achieved remotely or globally?
Learning and growth: Are there opportunities for growth even globally? Are training materials available in the native language and are they relevant?
Relationships and team performance: Relationships must be developed outside of employees’ and management’s comfort zones, but the end result is rewarding. Pick team members who are willing to do this.
Make feedback into influence: Your global team members are more than just employees and will have ideas of how to make your company work in their culture. Welcome their influence and implement their feedback.
Recognition and rewards: These may look different in another culture, but they are still necessary and relevant.

By making the alignment of your company culture a priority and following these steps, you will increase the value of your global presence.

Managing Remote Teams

Like Buffer, many global teams are remote, and managing remote workers has additional challenges. While there are many advantages to a remote team such as global talent, saving the cost of relocation, and the addition of diversity, there are also some drawbacks. One of those is that they can be more difficult to manage.

LIke cultural alignment, there are some general guidelines for managing virtual teams that apply nearly universally.

Build trust: Your team must trust that you have their best interests at heart, just as you do those of your customers. You have to follow through with what you say you will do, and give them the support they need to accomplish the tasks you set for them.
Have clear goals, standards, and rules: A part of this building of trust is to have clear and consistent expectations and goals. Work must be done to a standard regardless of where in the world your employee is.
Communicate clearly and constantly: Communication is the key, and while this can be challenging in different time zones and across the world, it still can be done. As a leader, it is your responsibility to align your schedule with theirs, not for them to inconvenience themselves to accommodate you.
Build a team rhythm: Consistency is also key. Develop a rhythm and a schedule your team can adhere to, and that works for all of you. Develop and stick to consistent workflows to keep everyone at their most productive.

To manage a remote team, you will need a more flexible company culture, especially worldwide. Be conscious of this, and don’t micromanage no matter where in the world your employees are. Your management style must be consistent and predictable, too. Managing people is much different than managing spreadsheets and numbers, no matter how far removed from your office they are.

Remember, you are the leader, and the satisfaction of the employees and, in the end, the customer is your responsibility.

Providing Your Team with Tools

One of the key elements to working globally is to have tools that translate to everyone and are available in a variety of languages and formats for different countries. There are several tools that do this in different categories.

Chat programs: Facebook Workplace and Slack are two common tools that work worldwide.
Microsoft Office Suite: Microsoft offers worldwide support, and through OneDrive, more than one person can work on a document at the same time.
The Google Business Suite: There are many apps and shared applications that can be had from Google through their business suite, and it is almost universal with the exception of China (which creates a challenge for some teams).
Adobe PDF and Acrobat: Adobe also offers Adobe PDF files and Adobe Acrobat, which work almost anywhere and translate worldwide. This is a powerful tool, and one many global teams depend on. There are many training programs to teach your team about them as well.

There are other ways to support your team as well. Tablets or laptops are the most common platforms, but you may want to provide remote teams with phones or pay their cell phone service costs for them. Both physical tools and software are important and should be a consideration. Managing their devices makes it easier to manage the team overall.

Traveling Both Ways

Face it, if you expand globally, you will be doing more travel, and you may want to bring in your remote employees from time to time, or like Buffer, have some kind of annual gathering.

While video meetings and chat are good, there is something to be said for meeting face to face. There are many ways to manage your international business travel, from rewards cards to mileage programs, and rewards programs can save you substantial money, especially when traveling abroad. Don’t be afraid to bring employees to you too, for annual reviews or other special events. Make this a positive experience for them, and use the time to connect and build a deeper relationship.

Global management and handling an international workforce comes with a number of challenges, but in the end, the diversity, the relationships you develop, and the broader presence of your company will be worth all of the work.

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