Stereotypes are generalizations, or assumptions, that people make about the characteristics of all members of a group, based on an image, sometimes incorrect about what people in that group are like. Stereotypes are formed because people really don't know other people. Stereotypes are learned at an early age from our parents and peers. It was assumed that girls would be housewives and stay-at-home moms while boys would become the main bread winner. If they did work, women mainly worked in female-dominate roles, such as secretaries and nurses. Men were mainly employed in fields such as law enforcement, military or engineering.
There are many stereotypes in the workplace; gender, race, sexual preference, age, and religion. Some of the stereotypes that represent my own views are gender and age stereotypes. Gender stereotypes are generalizations of the role of each gender. Women and men suffer when they restrict their occupational choices to those that seem suitable for members of their sex (George Powell, pg. 78). Men are more likely to gravitate toward jobs such as engineering, carpentry, and computer science; where women tend to seek jobs such as nursing, teaching, and helping people. Stereotypes can be harmful in the workplace because people put labels on others based on general assumptions. I believe gender stereotypes still exist as to what is considered “women’s work.” In the workplace women face many more challenges than men as a result of stereotyping, such as wage discrimination. Although they have made great strides, women are still making less than men in comparable jobs. Women must provide more evidence of their abilities to be seen as competent (Powell, pg. 105). Confident, assertive women are also often viewed by their teammates as less likeable than confident-assertive men. Women also face sexual harassment and career advancement