According to a new study, male-dominated workplaces can cause dangerously high levels of anxiety in women. In the study, ‘token’ women — those working in a predominantly male environment — were observed to display less healthy patterns of cortisol throughout the day, due to negative working conditions.
Every woman who works in a male-dominated environment can agree that often the highest levels of stress come specifically from interpersonal stress caused by the pressures of the working environment (as opposed to the stress of the job itself).
Men can contribute significantly to the pressures women feel in the office. Male-orientated work places create a masculine office culture which is not necessarily a place which allows women to focus on growing their career.
Here are the 5 types of men in the office who you will most likely come across in the course of your career.
1. The Flatterer
Some men in business believe that flattery will get them everywhere. They will often point out that you are too good for your current position and need to find a brand new challenge to suit your amazing potential. Such men feel intimidated and they know that they don’t stand a chance compared to you so they try to politely get you out of the way by making it appear as if they want the best for you.
2. One of the girls
These men are always among the girls in social situations. They go out for a drink with the girls after work, they keep up to date with personal stories and even get involved in conversations about shoes and make-up. These men would say all the right things to the girls in the office but once they see an opportunity to advance their career, they will suddenly become “one of the guys” and mix with the male management team. These man are lead by their self-serving nature. They wouldn’t hesitate to throw you under the bus if they can benefit from it.
3. Mr. Flirt
A couple of years ago my colleague Sarah was set to be promoted. She was the most qualified in the team and everyone in the office supported her. Her competition was Jack. Jack wasn’t qualified enough but he wanted the promotion badly. As a man whose charisma was as strong as his desire to advance his career, he knew that once he was under Sarah’s skin, he could manipulate her to do anything. What Jack didn’t know was that Sarah used to be a corporate shark in London. She had the best poker face. After Jack failed to seduce her, he got so verbally abusive that he had to be sacked for harassment. What is hiding behind a man’s charm is not always the good intentions we want to see.
4. The ‘Honest’ One
[tweet_quote hashtags=”#menatwork” ]These men always remember to point out your mistakes during an important meeting.[/tweet_quote] They are the ones to remind your boss and everybody else in the office, about any little detail of a past error and how they could have handled the situation better if they were in your shoes. They are dedicated to honestly which is precisely why when they mention all your mistakes it is never personal, they are “only stating the facts”.5. The Creep
Every office has him — he is the one who wouldn’t say a lot about his career goals. He would stay quiet when a new promotion is on the horizon. Sometimes you will see his little mysterious smile when he looks at you. He would smile oddly in a way which make you think he knows something you don’t know. Maybe he is just trying to intimidate you. Maybe he does know something intriguing but when you confront him, he wouldn’t say anything. The eerie feeling he creates in your mind makes you think that if a promotion means working with this guy, I’d better not even try.
Men in business can be a huge obstacle for professional women who want to advance their career.
However, working with these types of men in the office which is dominated by men should not be a reason to step down and allow male influences to consume your desire to grow. Women have this natural ability to lead and once you discover how to use it, you will be the star in the office, with or without your male colleagues.
