Stereotypes in the office are not actually different from the stereotypes of everyday life. People from all different backgrounds come and work together in a modern day as workforce and they come with different views about each other depending on their gender, race, sexual preference and religion among others.

As a matter of fact, stereotypes are harmful in the workplace just like in everyday life situations. They are unfair even to the extent of reducing productivity in the workplace, despite the greater awareness and acceptance of diversity. Despite the efforts and greater advances that women have made over the last decades, negative stereotypes about them are still more prevalent in many offices. For instance, a beautiful woman who gets promoted may be viewed by many as a reward after she flirted with her supervisor.

Age Stereotypes
Younger as well as older employees especially men, though some women might be having the same view about their women colleagues because of the culture which it has been planted in them might believe that older women are incapable of keeping up with modern-day trends and this event may influence the recruitment process because if the hiring team has this perception, then they end up hiring people from a certain age group. Others may believe that young women are attractive and can cause misunderstanding and may create hatred among men employees, thus a lesser chance for them for employment despite them meeting the required qualifications.

Child Bearing Stereotypes
In most occasions, women working in offices operate under the assumptions that they will be primary parents, with the duty of bearing children and bringing them up and therefore the need for them to quit or slow down their careers. Ironically, men need not slow down their careers and may not even have time to help their wives.

Harshly Judged When Voicing Opinions
Women are expected to bend low and keep quiet whenever opinion is needed. Actually, women have applicable opinions and even if their opinions are relevant, they are not given much consideration and full attention is directed toward men’s opinions.

Perceived as Naturally Weaker Than Male Co-workers
A woman normally needs to work much higher than men colleagues in order to prove that she is equally important as a man. The masculinity of male gender sends a wrong signal that they are stronger, unlike women who are gentler, a feature which can undermine their authority.

Perceived as Secondary to Their Husbands
Multiple women currently are the breadwinners, capable of performing all duties ranging from home duties to office duties. Such successful women are not judged as achievers on their own but believed that probably their husbands are at the forefront despite them not contributing much. People will ask about their husband’s profession and assume that their job is less significant than his.

Race Stereotypes
It is reported that racial stereotypes are common because popular culture often perpetuates such beliefs. For instance, Pakistan women are perceived as lazy as compared to maybe Indian women. Though this is women against women scenario, it negatively affects a section of women of a particular race.