30 types of bias women face at work, the impact and how to overcome them. Listen to the podcast with Dr Amy Diehl
Welcome to #265 weekly newsletter from The Purse.
Dr. Amy Diehl knows what it’s like to face gender bias at work.
She’s a Chief Information Officer, researcher, and co-author of Glass Walls: shattering the six gender bias barriers still holding women back at work.
On The Purse Podcast, she talks about the challenges women face in the workplace and shares stories from her own life. Amy’s mix of research and personal experiences shows how unfair treatment holds women back and hurts businesses.
She shares how subtle biases can undermine authority. During a meeting, Amy sat with three colleagues and a male architect. Instead of addressing her professionally, the architect refers to her as “a young lady.”
This offhand comment shifts focus to her age and gender—qualities not relevant to the meeting. Amy calls it what it was: a diminutive, meant to put her in her place.
This everyday moment, Amy says, is part of a larger pattern. It’s not always big, obvious acts of bias that hold women back. Sometimes it’s these small, yet undermining comments that chip away at a woman’s credibility.
…And that’s exactly why we need to call it out.
Quick take..
Research by Dr. Amy Diehl, Dr. Leanne Dzubinski, and Dr. Amber Stephenson identified 30 distinct types of workplace bias that unfairly target women. These range from appearance-based judgments and marital status assumptions to systemic sexism.
Gender bias at work isn’t just unfair—it costs companies in a big way. When women face unfair treatment, many leave their jobs, taking their skills and ideas with them. This hurts businesses by slowing innovation, lowering productivity, and weakening teams.
But companies that truly include women see big wins. Research shows they’re 25% more likely to outperform competitors and bring in higher profits.
What you need to know:
The study highlights pervasive biases women face, organised into key categories:
Appearance bias: Women are judged more harshly on their clothing, grooming, and weight than men.
Marital and parental bias: Mothers are perceived as less committed to work, while married women face assumptions about family planning.
Double standards: Women are penalised for behaviour celebrated in men, such as assertiveness or ambition.
Role stereotyping: Leadership traits are often associated with masculinity, sidelining qualified women from top positions.
Sexual harassment and undermining behaviour: Persistent issues that create toxic environments and reduce retention of female talent.
These biases intersect with race, age, and socioeconomic background, compounding the challenges.
A closer look: Victoria’s Secret case study..
In the early 2000s, Victoria’s Secret hired senior women to bring fresh, inclusive ideas, but their input was ignored by male leadership clinging to outdated, male-centric strategies. As competitors like ThirdLove embraced diversity, Victoria’s Secret lost market share and revenue, pivoting only after suffering significant financial and reputational damage.
As Amy points out: this phenomenon is called “male gatekeeping”. This is a tactic where men in positions of power may hire women but intentionally limit their roles, influence, and authority.
She goes on to say: “It’s not about hiring women for the appearance of diversity; it’s about… giving their voices equal weight.”
The human cost and economic impact..
Mental Health: In the UK, 37.1% of women report high levels of anxiety, compared to 29.9% of men.
Career Stagnation: Women hold only 32% of senior leadership roles globally.
Economic Loss: Gender discrimination costs the UK economy £123bn annually in lost output.
Diversity ROI: Companies with greater gender diversity are 25% more likely to outperform their peers financially.
The flip side..
Despite growing awareness of workplace bias, challenges persist:
Bias training often fails without robust accountability measures.
Women of colour experience compounded biases, which many initiatives inadequately address.
Resistance to change from leadership or organisational inertia slows progress.
Potential solutions..
Advocate for yourself with clear, factual language. Document instances of bias or exclusion.
Build supportive networks inside and outside the organisation. But be ready to move on if necessary.
Leaders to take a proactive role in dismantling gender bias. Lead by example.
Key takeaway..
Gender bias hurts everyone—including women and businesses. It pushes women out of jobs, slows their careers, and costs companies talent and money. Real change happens when women’s voices are heard and their ideas are implemented.
What next?..
To learn more about Dr Amy Diehl’s work, click here.
Read Glass Walls: shattering the six gender bias barriers still holding women back at work.
We’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with Jana via the The Purse website or tweet @jointhepurse and janicka. We do no provide investment advice. Please do your own research or speak to a financial adviser.
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