Most companies have strict policies against workplace harassment, but many workers experience it anyway. Employees who are sexually harassed may feel that they are being discriminated against because of their gender. This can lead to feelings of unfair treatment, which can impact employee productivity, job satisfaction, and turnover rates. To understand how these perceptions develop, researchers investigated how managers' attitudes towards sex affected employees' perceptions of managerial fairness.
The study involved over 150 adult participants from a variety of industries across four different countries. Participants were presented with a series of scenarios involving hypothetical situations where an employee was asked for a favor by a superior. Some scenarios included a female boss making romantic advances toward her male subordinate. In each scenario, participants indicated whether or not they believed that the situation constituted sexual harassment and rated the level of trust they had in their employer. They also reported how likely they would be to stay with their company if the incident occurred.
The results showed that when a female manager made sexual advances towards her male employee, it negatively impacted his perceptions of her as a leader. He felt like she was less competent and trustworthy than he would have been if she had simply asked him out for coffee. The effect was even stronger when the subordinate was attractive. When a male manager made similar moves towards a female employee, her perceptions of his leadership abilities decreased as well. She saw him as being more concerned about his own needs than hers.
These findings suggest that there is a link between sexualized behavior at work and perceptions of managerial fairness. Employees who experience this type of discrimination may feel unfairly treated and believe that their contributions are being valued less than those of others. This can create a hostile environment that drives down productivity and leads to high turnover rates. Companies should take steps to address these issues head-on, including implementing policies and procedures that prohibit all forms of harassment and providing training on how to handle such incidents appropriately.
How does sexualized perception affect employees' perceptions of managerial fairness?
Research shows that sexualized perception may have an effect on employees' perceptions of managerial fairness. When managers are perceived as being attractive or sexually desirable by their subordinates, it can create a power dynamic where the manager has more influence over their decisions and behavior than they would otherwise have. This can lead to favoritism, which could result in unfair treatment for some employees based on gender or physical appearance.