Dealing With a Male Dominated Environment

When we think about working women taking up jobs in a male-dominated environment we tend to conjure up images of women working in construction or as plumbers or electricians and whilst many women have gone on to forge good careers in these typically male oriented roles, even white collar professions such as law are still classed more as a domain for men more so than women.

The good news, however, is that equality laws and campaign groups have opened up more and more opportunities to women in jobs and professions which would once have only been filled by their male counterparts and, thanks to legislation on gender discrimination, problems rarely occur in terms of how women are treated in these professions as companies are only too aware that a) women have a lot of skills, personal qualities and talent to bring to the mix and this has become even more accepted by companies who understand the importance of workplace diversity and b) legislation means that women know that they can take a company to a tribunal should they feel that they are not being treated fairly. That all said, for women who are just starting out their careers in an area dominated by men, it can, to some, all seem rather daunting so here are some good tips for ensuring that things run as smoothly as possible.

Be Yourself

It’s important not to make a ‘deal’ out of being a woman in a traditionally ‘male’ role. After all, you won’t be the first and the likelihood is that there will have been many women there before you whom your male colleagues will have worked alongside. You should really just ‘be yourself’. You don’t need to come across all ‘macho’ and manly nor should you play on your feminine side. You’ve basically been hired, just as the men have, on your skills and abilities to do the job. Use that as the basis to create how others might perceive you – not your gender or trying to be ‘one of the lads’.

Speak Out At Injustices

It’s a well-known fact that men can sometimes behave in ‘packs’ when it comes to a bit of shop-floor or office ‘banter’ and, what might start out as playful teasing can sometimes lead to more serious gender discrimination. Don’t be out off if a male colleague(s) says or does something disparaging or distasteful. Simply pick your moment and be assertive, confronting the offender in a non-aggressive and professional manner telling them how their actions have made you feel and to refrain from them further. You’ll often find that your male colleagues will respect you more if you stand up for yourself.

Get Yourself A Mentor

You’ll probably find that you won’t be the only female within the company working in a similar role to you. If there is, seek them out and ask them for any advice and tips. They’ve been there longer than you have and will be a useful ally to you in terms of supporting you. They may even volunteer to mentor you but, at least, they should be available to provide you with support and answer any questions you may have.

Alternatively, if you are the only female working there, you might wish to do some research and look at networking possibilities to find women working for other companies who are in a similar position to yourself. This will enable you to bring up issues which you might feel uncomfortable raising within your own workplace.

Basically, as long as you can do the job and do it well and are friendly to approach and willing to mix, you should find that, in this day and age, being a woman working in a so-called ‘man’s world’ presents few problems, if any. Sure, the guys might invite you down to the pub on a Friday afternoon to ‘sink a few pints’ and, whilst this is likely to be a good way of establishing a good relationship with your male colleagues, you shouldn’t feel a compulsion to go – simply because they’ve asked you to if it’s not your thing. After all, you’ve been hired upon merit – not gender and whether you go to the pub or not will have no bearing on how you do your job or on the way your male colleagues interact with you.