Many companies rely heavily on their onboarding process to create a positive impression for new hires, but it is often difficult to determine how successful they are in this effort. Onboarding can be especially challenging when a company wants to maintain a professional environment while also creating an inclusive atmosphere that encourages openness about personal lives and preferences.
Recent research suggests that there may be another factor at play during onboarding that influences employee satisfaction more than just office culture and workplace attitudes: sexualization. Sexualized perception has been found to affect everything from job performance to organizational commitment and even turnover rates. If your company isn't prepared for the unique challenges associated with sexualizing your onboarding process, you could find yourself losing valuable employees before they ever become fully integrated into your organization.
What Is Sexualized Perception?
Sexualized perception refers to the way individuals view themselves or others based on societal expectations around sex and gender roles. It can manifest itself in different ways, such as expecting men to act like "macho" alpha males or women to dress or behave a certain way. While many of these views have shifted dramatically over time, some stereotypes still exist, and those who don't conform to them may feel marginalized or excluded within an organization. This can lead to increased stress levels, decreased productivity, and difficulty connecting with colleagues. Researchers believe that sexualized perception plays a role in how well new hires adapt to their positions within companies because it impacts their ability to form connections with other employees and adjust to corporate culture.
How Does Sexualized Perception Affect Onboarding?
Onboarding is often viewed as an important part of the employee experience; however, it can also create significant barriers if not managed effectively. New hires must learn about policies, procedures, and expectations while also navigating social relationships with coworkers and managers. When sexualization comes into play, this process becomes more difficult because there are often subtle but powerful messages being sent without words being spoken explicitly.
A manager might assume that all female employees will want to go out for drinks after work even though this isn't necessarily true for everyone. Or a male employee could be teased for wearing a skirt despite being comfortable in his own skin. These kinds of interactions can make someone feel uncomfortable and isolate them from their peers, leading to lower morale and engagement.
When employees feel like they aren't accepted for who they are rather than what others think they should be like based on gender norms, they become less likely to stay long-term at your company. Studies show that individuals who identify strongly with nontraditional genders or sexualities are more likely to leave due to negative experiences during onboarding than those who don't face these challenges. This doesn't mean that you need to change your entire approach to welcoming new hires; instead, it means understanding how your current strategies might affect different people differently and making sure everyone has equal opportunities regardless of identity markers such as race, age, or gender expression.
How Can You Combat Sexualized Perception During Onboarding?
There is no one size fits all solution when dealing with sexualized perception during onboarding, but there are steps companies can take to mitigate its impact:
1. Encourage open communication about personal lives and preferences from day one. New hires shouldn't have to worry about revealing something personal only later down the line if they choose not to do so initially. Instead, create an environment where sharing is encouraged without fear of judgment.
2. Make expectations clear upfront regarding attire, behavior, and socializing after hours. Be explicit about any workplace policies related to dress code or behavior outside of normal business hours, which helps prevent misunderstandings later on.
3. Create a diverse team with varying levels of experience so that each person feels comfortable discussing topics relevant to them personally without feeling outnumbered by those who may share similar perspectives.
4. Incorporate diversity training into your onboarding process to help educate managers about what constitutes appropriate conversation versus inappropriate comments based on cultural norms within your organization.
5. Address issues as soon as possible rather than letting them fester over time. If someone makes a comment that makes another employee uncomfortable, address it immediately instead of waiting until things escalate further.
6. Consider offering additional support for employees who don't feel comfortable engaging socially due to their identity markers, such as hosting lunch-and-learns focused on specific groups (e.g., LGBTQ+), providing mentors who understand these challenges firsthand, or even creating dedicated safe spaces where individuals can gather without judgement.
By taking proactive steps like these, companies can ensure that everyone has access to equal opportunities regardless of how they identify themselves sexually or otherwise during onboarding. This leads to happier employees who are more likely to stay long-term because they feel accepted for who they are. As always, communication is key when trying to build an inclusive environment; make sure you're openly communicating expectations around sexualization and making space for all voices at the table!
In what ways does sexualized perception affect the onboarding and adaptation of new employees?
Sexualization can affect an individual's self-perception, which may interfere with their ability to adapt to new environments, especially if they experience discrimination based on their gender identity or expression. This can be true for both male and female employees.