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Having worked many different jobs in many different environments, I can honestly say, based on my own personal experience that I prefer working with guys or prefer the majority of staff to be male, rather than female. Or an almost even number of males and females on staff. My current workplace is male dominated with only a few females. The atmosphere is more laid back, of a joking nature. Drama is minimal. So the jokes here and there are a little inappropriate and/or sexist. I don’t really care. I may be female, but I’m not THAT sensitive. I know they’re not serious, so I don’t let it bother me.
Why is it in the workplace, as least from my personal experience that when it’s all females, it just seems more cliquey, gossipy and not as relaxed? I have yet to have a work experience in which I truly enjoyed working with only females. I sometimes feel intimidated when it’s all female or the majority is female. Is it the supersaturation of emotions? Too much estrogen in the environment? Females see other females as competition or a new threat to the workplace??!? Now I feel like I’m being sexist!
For some reason, males seem to reduce the tension in the work environment. Guys just naturally seem to be more relaxed about things and not as uptight. They’ll obviously fight (I have yet to see a fist fight. I have only seen and heard a LOT of yelling and cursing), but they don’t hold grudges. I’ve noticed they get over things a lot quicker than females and they don’t gossip so much. I try to stay out of gossip and office drama if I can. I consider myself Switzerland and remain neutral for the most part.
I have had male and female bosses and not to sound sexist again, but the bosses I liked the most and got along well with were the male ones. I never felt I was walking on eggshells with them, that it was ok to make mistakes and that I never felt pressure I couldn’t handle. It’s almost as if they have the perfect mix of won’t take any bs, but can still joke around with you.
Do you prefer to work with males more or females? What have your experiences been like?
I used to think the same way (when my only experience of female dominated workplaces was of a fashiony, magaziney stereotypical office). However, my current workplace is pretty equal, and males and females alike are all fantastic to work with. I don’t think I can stereotype or definitively choose one over the other; it’s all about the individuals for me now.
I guess based on my personal experiences working with an all female staff or the majority being female, I can’t help but stereotype.
I prefer a male or balanced environment. My last job was only females with one male manager and he looked like a little rooster surrounded by hens. He was married so that was ridiculous but the girls looked like flirting had to be involved. I kept to myself butgot a lower raise that year for not being more friendly to the back stabbing hens and the rooster.. Nothing like self employment!
That must have been an annoying work environment. I can’t even imagine having to flirt with my current supervisor who is male.
I always work with guys. It has its ups and downs. They can be pretty calm most of the time and scared to make you cry (some guys think all females are delicate flowers who will cry at the littlest thing), but then you get some who are REALLY aggressive. I hate working with those.
I’m aggressive myself, but only if I am met with aggression. Otherwise I’m fairly calm, laidback, and I only fight for things that matter to get the job done right. (A lot of people in my field like to take shortcuts and it aggravates me.)
Those people think I’m going to back down because I’m a woman, they’ve got something else coming.
Those types of guys who think all females are delicate really annoys me. I’m kind of the same way, choosing the battles that will count. With this job, I’ve finally learned to speak up about things I don’t agree with, even if I’m the only one who doesn’t agree with it.
The feminist in me hates that I’m about to say this, but I totally agree with you. I’ve noticed that even just adding one male to a work place changes the way women behave. Maybe this is an issue we need to address at a societal level: what are okay ways for women to act amongst each other? Because the cliquey thing never gets anyone anywhere productive. I’m also very serious and very focused on my work wherever I go, so the drama that almost always ensues seems like such an unnecessary distraction that appears to annoy me more than others who don’t mind being all up in arms about what that b**** said every single day.
Yes, I’ve noticed that too. In one workplace, I don’t even think he realized he had that effect, in changing the dynamics of the workplace.
With my first professional job, I shared an office with someone who liked to chat and gossip. People would constantly drop by our office just to socialize. It was so hard to get work done.
Hmm that’s interesting. I’ve worked in lots of different workplaces, most of them I guess with more male employees, but so far I haven’t found any cliquey-ness with women. But sometimes it just takes one person in the office to have a major effect on everyone. I’ve noticed that when a few employees left. It’s interesting.
You’re right about how it only takes one person in the office to have a major effect on everyone: male OR female. It’s something that I’ve noticed in every workplace and there’s no way of avoiding it.
I work in a female dominated workplace and things can get a little crazy sometimes (passive-aggressive comments, nastiness, mean spirited comments, talking behind each others’ backs etc.). I try to just go to work, do my job and avoid all the drama. I’m sure these types of things happen at more mixed offices too, but I’ve never worked somewhere with an equal mix or more men.
I prefer to have my boss be a male, but I don’t really care about my coworkers. I find a male boss creates a workplace that is less gossipy.
I totally agree with you.
I prefer working with both genders, but if I absolutely had to choose only one it would be with men 😀 Easier for me to relate to them. But I think reality tv shows with either a mix of women and men, or just women alone (real housewives series) are way more entertaining to watch than a show about men only.
Women just seem to be naturally better (haha) at creating drama.