A Chinese company based in Shenzhen, southeastern China, has come under fire for a message sent by one of its executives, urging female employees to wear light makeup to the workplace. The request, made by Luo, an executive officer at the firm, sparked criticism and accusations of gender bias, according to the report by the South China Morning Post.
On November 30, Luo initiated a group conversation on WeChat with his team, including five female members. In his message, he requested that female employees start wearing cosmetics to “motivate” the male members of the team. Furthermore, Luo mentioned that male colleagues would pool funds to treat the women to afternoon tea as a reward for complying with the makeup request.
When no immediate response was received from the group, Luo emphasised the importance of his message by threatening to slash performance bonuses if the female staff did not comply. The situation escalated when an influencer, who was a friend of an unidentified company employee, shared Luo’s message online, causing it to go viral.
Following the online backlash and media coverage, Luo, while not denying the message, claimed it was a misunderstood joke and stated that it had been removed. He asserted that the company culture involved employees frequently joking with each other on WeChat and in person.
Luo acknowledged the gender imbalance within the company, with a majority of the 300 staff being male. He admitted that the company, in its pursuit of productivity, had sometimes overlooked the needs of its female employees. As a damage control measure, Luo mentioned that the company often implemented initiatives to provide more benefits to its female staff.
Gender bias in the workplace is an enduring issue, with frequent headlines showcasing instances of bias against women, often reaching distressing levels. The 2023 Gender Social Norms Index (GSNI) report, unveiled by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on June 12, underscores the prevalence of biases against women, with nine out of ten men and women globally holding such biases.
India, according to the Gender Inequality Index, ranks 122nd among 191 countries, illustrating the disparities between men and women concerning reproductive health, empowerment and participation in the labour market.
The recent UNDP report exposes the alarming extent of biases in India, revealing that over 99.22% of the population harbours at least one bias against women, while more than 86.26% hold at least two biases. The report further highlights that 92.36% of men and 92.43% of women share biases related to a woman’s physical integrity, encompassing factors such as intimate partner violence and reproductive rights.
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