Peggy accepts a job offer as an advertising copywriter. Her boss immediately assigns her campaigns for products such as makeup and cleaning products. Peggy asks for different clients, but her boss tells her she should stick to what she knows best. Peggy is experiencing:
The correct answer and explanation is:
Answer: Peggy is experiencing gender stereotyping in the workplace.
Explanation:
Gender stereotyping occurs when assumptions are made about a person’s abilities, interests, or expertise based on their gender rather than their actual skills or preferences. In Peggy’s case, her boss assumes that, as a woman, she is naturally more suited to working on campaigns related to makeup and cleaning products. This limits her professional growth and reinforces outdated gender roles.
Peggy’s experience reflects a common workplace bias where women are often assigned tasks that align with traditional feminine roles—such as beauty, fashion, or household management—while men may be given projects in industries perceived as more strategic or technical, like finance, technology, or automotive advertising. This type of stereotyping can hinder Peggy’s career advancement, making it harder for her to gain diverse experience, develop new skills, or be considered for leadership positions in broader advertising sectors.
Such biases can negatively impact workplace diversity and inclusion efforts. When employees are pigeonholed based on gender rather than talent, it creates an unequal work environment where opportunities are not distributed fairly. Over time, this can lead to dissatisfaction, reduced motivation, and even high turnover rates, particularly among women seeking broader career challenges.
To counteract gender stereotyping, organizations should implement fair assignment practices, encourage open discussions about career goals, and provide opportunities for employees to work on a variety of projects. Training managers to recognize and address unconscious biases is also crucial in creating an inclusive work culture.
By challenging these stereotypes, Peggy can advocate for herself, request a diverse range of assignments, and push for a more equitable workplace where all employees have the chance to thrive based on their skills and interests, rather than outdated gender norms.
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