Public perception undoubtedly plays a major role in discrimination and bias, so new research from King’s College London is fascinating for the insight into how these perceptions form, and the impact they have.

The research saw 20,000 people from 28 countries quizzed to explore some of the perceptions people have about gender, and how this helps or hinders the career progression of women.

“Decades of research has shown that men have an easier route to the top than women, and it’s reassuring that the public now recognize this—but concrete action is needed if we’re to level the playing field,” the researchers say. “Our survey also reveals that people see employers as a key barrier to equality, and they’re right that the world of work is holding many women back. Expanding access to flexible working and unbiased recruitment processes would be good places to start.”

Societal biases

A number of fascinating societal biases emerged from the survey that can potentially hold women back.  For instance, nearly 10% more people regarded intelligence as a key factor in the career progression of women than they did for men.  Similar discrepancies emerged in terms of the need for hard work.

This was flipped however when it came to the value of connections, as whilst 29% thought it was vital for men to have connections in order to thrive, just 15% thought the same for women.

Despite there being clearly evident biases in how the issue is viewed by the public, employers seemed to get the bulk of the blame, both in terms of propagating the gender pay gap and maintaining the glass ceiling that prevents women from progressing in their careers.

“Our research shows that the adage “It’s not what you know but who you know’ still holds true—at least for men,” the researchers say. “For women to get ahead, it’s less about having connections and more about hard work, being intelligent, having the right qualifications and never giving up.”