International Women's Day: Expect the unexpected – breaking biases

When I tell people I work in the gambling industry, I get one of two responses: ‘Oh that’s cool, what’s it like?’ or ‘Oh, that’s unexpected!’. It’s the latter that usually stumps me and makes me question, why?

Even in today’s modern society, women still face outdated industry expectations, which is why we’re trying to #BreakTheBias in this year’s International Women’s Day theme.

Throughout my journey with Positively Distinctive Media Ltd (PDM), I’ve never felt that I wasn’t being heard or that I was being treated differently to anyone else in the business. It’s all fair game; if you’ve got the drive and ambition then go for it. It’s that mentality that’s led me to work with some big household brands on product creation, rebranding and consultancy, to name just a few.

What are the biases?

Researching for this piece, I wanted to know what kind of biases females are facing generally and how it compares to my experience.

• Women are less likely to speak up in meetings: Apparently, women are 75% less likely to speak up in a group environment where males outnumber females. There is a common misconception that to be heard in a meeting we must be the loud ‘alpha’ individual. Overlooking the ‘quiet’ ones and their contributions could cost you. We, at PDM, believe that quietly understanding the remit and taking careful consideration before making a suggestion has significant worth.
• Female assertiveness is seen as bossy: Research has shown females were found to be twice as likely to be branded as ‘bossy’ in a workplace compared to males. I struggle to wrap my head around this gender bias. If someone is taking the initiative and leading, why should it matter what gender they are? As long as they deliver results and the process runs smoothly, then gender is irrelevant. Sadly, females are still being labelled ‘bossy’ in managerial positions or when they are just fulfilling their job.
• Women tend to shy away from praise and lowball their abilities: I’ve been guilty of this in the past and from time to time it slips back out. However, I’ve quickly recognised the importance of praise and showcasing your own abilities. After all, if you don’t know what you’re good at, then how can people trust you to do what you do best?
• Women are better at organising and admin: There is a broad generalisation that females are better at this than their male counterparts. There is probably a lot to unpick on why we have this bias. Is it because of media portrayal, social environmental factors or something else? Regardless, I fully embrace this, and believe we can all benefit from amazing organisation and admin but that doesn’t mean only women should perform these tasks.

So, how can we #BreakTheBias? Firstly, it needs to be pointed out that biased views don’t hold any value to a business and can be the reason for missed opportunities, which could be detrimental to any company. As individuals, we must not be hindered by flawed preconceptions. We must remain open-minded to move forward in the workplace.

As a way to conclude, I have some questions for you. Could we do more as individuals? As an industry? Where and why are biases happening? Are we doing enough to bring diversity and give individuals a platform to share their ideas and experience? If we’re not, can you imagine the changes that could happen if we did?

Erica Lui is head of operations at Positively Distinctive Media, with over six years of igaming experience. As part of the PDM Ltd founding team, she’s transformed from head of marketing services through to her latest operations-focused role. Her responsibilities are extensive but primarily involve data analysis, planning and making operational efficiencies.