Women working from home 'have been told to dress sexier for video calls' by bosses
23 July 2020, 00:35
A third of women have experienced sexist workplace demands since the country was told to work from home during the coronavirus pandemic, new research has suggested.
According to reports told to employment law firm Slater and Gordon, women have been told by bosses to dress "sexier" and wear make-up for video calls.
The study said these lurid comments were justified by bosses who claimed it would "help to win new business", it is important to "look nicer for the team", and "it would be more pleasing to a client", according to the study.
The law firm said it had hoped there would be a dramatic decline in reports of sexist behaviour as offices closed down, but that sexism had instead found "new and insidious" ways to thrive online.
Around two out of five women said demands were targeted at them or other women in their teams, rather than equally with male employees, leaving them feeling "objectified, demoralised and self-conscious" about their appearance.
Most women told to dress more provocatively did not report their boss to their HR department, and one in four actually agreed to change the way they looked for fear of a negative impact on their career.
READ MORE: All the key points from Government's new care home visits guidance
READ MORE: Sir Keir Starmer scolds Boris Johnson's 'shameful' care home comments
READ MORE: Care homes crisis seen as Government's biggest coronavirus failure
Slater and Gordon employment lawyer Danielle Parsons said: "It is categorically wrong for a manager or anyone in a position of power to suggest, even politely, for a woman to be more sexually appealing in the workplace.
"This is a powerful form of coercion which makes women feel as if they must adhere to the manager's request and be more visually pleasing to be successful at their job. This is demeaning to women.
"It's extremely disappointing that we are still having these conversations, particularly during this time when women are juggling a multitude of roles from home, and may be also struggling with childcare responsibilities. This type of archaic behaviour has no place in the modern working world.
"Requests of this nature are discrimination and unlawful where male counterparts aren't treated in this way, or where such unwanted requests create a humiliating or degrading environment for women."
One in three women surveyed said they were asked to wear more make-up or work on their hair, and almost as many were asked to dress more sexily or provocatively.
Listen & subscribe: Global Player | Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify
Slater and Gordon urged women to report any demands to change their appearance to their HR department, or seek legal advice.
The company surveyed 2,000 men and women.
TUC general secretary Frances O'Grady said: "Sexism and harassment at work has a huge impact on women's lives, even during a pandemic.
"Trade union reps can help members who experience it, but we need better laws to stop it happening in the first place.
"Ministers should strengthen the law by giving employers a legal duty to prevent sexual harassment at work. This would help put an end to toxic workplaces where sexism and harassment are an everyday experience for women."
