SINGAPORE: Feeling increasingly frustrated by the ongoing gender bias at her workplace, a Singaporean employee decided to take to social media to express her thoughts.
In her post on the r/askSingapore forum, she openly stated that she’s “sick of” the persistent and unequal treatment she has been witnessing based on gender in her work environment.
She shared, “I have been in the audit industry for about three years now and have been noticing the favouritism towards the opposite gender. Guy managers tend to favor the girls more, and girl managers tend to favor the guys more. Got a difference in tone while talking to different genders too. [And this is] not only happening internally.”
Citing an example, she wrote, “I’ve been doing the audit for this client, and their finance manager (female) talks very rudely to me and my other female colleague, but when she talks to guys in my team, her tone is completely different. Basically (talks) to them like her biological son with the very sweet tone.”
She ended her post by asking fellow Singaporeans whether they’ve noticed similar dynamics in their own workplaces.
“It’s human nature.”
In the discussion thread, several commenters affirmed the employee’s observations, noting that gender-based favouritism and double standards remain prevalent across various industries.
One user wrote, “Yes, I’ve seen similar behaviour as well. There is a noticeable difference in how some managers and clients interact based on gender. It’s subtle but quite apparent over time and, honestly, quite unprofessional, but that’s how humans work, right?”
Another shared, “A manager in my previous office usually interviewed applicants in the office. One day he went to Starbucks to interview a female applicant; it turned out she was quite a beauty.”
A third remarked, “It’s human nature. Be glad at least the guy manager/client favours you. Workplace bias gets worse outside of Big 4 audit.”
A fourth added, “The sooner you accept these inherent biases in corporate life, the better you are able to adapt to this life and perform. The same goes for politics, backstabbing, sucking up, unfairness, and all the shenanigans. It’s a matter of time.”
Workplace gender bias in Singapore
Gender bias in the workplace is something that often gets brushed off as just part of the system or “human nature,” but it really creates a toxic environment that goes against the idea of fairness and equal opportunity for everyone.
In Singapore, there have been ongoing efforts to promote gender equity in professional settings. However, unconscious bias remains a persistent issue across various industries. In 2020, the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCCI) conducted a survey about this and found that four in 10 women experienced gender discrimination in the workplace, compared to just one in ten men.
Despite these findings, only 12% of individuals who experienced gender discrimination formally reported the incidents, and all of them were women. Further research by IPSOS and the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership at King’s College London revealed that fear of retaliation is one of the primary reasons why victims choose to stay silent. Many are concerned that speaking up could negatively impact their careers or damage their reputations.
The same study also revealed broader challenges: 13% of victims said they “did not know how to talk about gender equality” or what steps to take to promote it. Meanwhile, 15% felt the topic was “not relevant or important” to them, and 17% “believed there was nothing they could do that would truly make a difference.”
Featured image by freepik (for illustration purposes only)