Female Discrimination in the Workplace: Skilled Communicators But Undermined Leaders

This literature review examines several studies related to differences in gender communication, gender perception, and the impact of workplace discrimination. Experimental studies on gender have revealed that women’s communication style is seen as genteel and empathetic while men’s communication styles are viewed as noisy and aggressive. And yet, people view leadership qualities as inherently more masculine than feminine. These differences are also reflected in leadership styles between men and women. The question remains if women display capable communication skills and leadership, why do discriminatory practices pervade in the workplace? Through a qualitative analysis of each paper, we draw the relationship between gender perceptions and workplace discrimination, including the lack of women in executive positions. A comparison between review articles helped to illustrate the differences in approach and similarity in results of pair of studies. Social theories presented in articles help to explain social phenomenons that undermine women. Concepts such as counter-stereotypical characteristics of women are discussed and the need for institutional policy enforcements is emphasized.