What comes to mind when you think about sexism in the work place?

Chances are that you are going to think about women not being treated equally compared to the men that they work alongside. However, in some industries, the men are actually just as discriminated against as women. Administration being a prime example of this.

Administration is often seen as ‘women’s work’. If a man is found in one of these roles, then they may be seen as working beneath their skill level. But why is this? Why is admin seen as women’s work?

A recent survey by Careersmart found that 77% of our administrative work force are women and a measly 23% are men, however the average salary of a man working in this type of role is around £4000 higher than the average female is being paid. https://careersmart.org.uk/occupations/other-administrative-occupations

Why is admin seen as women’s work?

• Women are more organised and able to multi-task

One thing that many people think about women, is that they are the best at multi-tasking and tackling many jobs at once. Men, on the other hand are not quite as recognised for their ability to focus on many things at once, which is why they are not often seen as the ideal admin worker.

• Women are more social

An important part of any admin role, but particularly those that involve being customer facing, is being able to be approachable and social. Women are always seen as being more social than men. They find it easier to chat, to get to know other people and to be personable and friendly.

• Women are not seen as keen on technological roles

Whilst many office jobs are seen as “women’s work” when it comes to IT and dealing with other aspects of technology, men are definitely seen as being more prevalent. It is thought that women might not be as interested in roles that deal with technology, instead focusing on softer skills.

Of course, whilst these are thought to be the reasons why there are fewer men working in admin, these are not actually true and are just stereotypes. Male administrators are just as talented, capable and able as female administrators, and can prove to be a valuable part of any team. Over my last 4 years at Cherry Pick People some of my most successful candidates in administrative roles have been male.

Ask yourself, would you consider hiring a male administrator?

In any business, balance is KEY and both men and women are capable of doing any roles that they want to tackle. The ability to do a job is not down to your gender, is more about your skills, your experience, your knowledge and whether or not you are the right person for the job, regardless of what that job is…

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