We need to stand up to online workplace harassment.

One of the hopes of lockdown was that that HR departments would see a dramatic decline in reports of sexist behaviour as offices closed down across the country. But research by employment law specialists Slater and Gordon shows sexism has instead found new and insidious ways to thrive online. According to the research over 35 percent of UK women have experienced at least one sexist workplace demand since the lockdown started in March. This is another aspect of behaviour emerging from the Coronavirus Crisis that urgently needs addressing and people are urged to ‘step up’ and challenge such behaviour when they see it to show that it is wrong.

The Slater and Gordon report states that bosses are telling female staff to dress ‘sexier’ and wear make-up for video calls. The most common ways men and women in positions of power justified lurid comments about dress included saying it would ‘help to win new business’ (41 per cent), saying it was important to ‘look nicer for the team’ (41 per cent) and saying it would be more ‘pleasing to a client’ (38 per cent).

Nearly 40 per cent of women said these demands were targeted at them or other women in their teams, rather than equally with male peers, leaving them feeling objectified, demoralised and self-conscious about their appearance.

Sixty per cent of women didn’t report the requests to dress more provocatively to HR.  A quarter agreed to boost their beauty regime for fear of a negative impact on their career.

Slater and Gordon employment lawyer Danielle Parsons said: It is categorically wrong for a manager or anyone in a position of power to suggest, even politely, for a woman to be more sexually appealing in the workplace.

This is a powerful form of coercion which makes women feel as if they must adhere to the manager’s request and be more visually pleasing to be successful at their job. This is demeaning to women.

It’s extremely disappointing that we are still having these conversations, particularly during this time when women are juggling a multitude of roles from home, and may be also struggling with childcare responsibilities. This type of archaic behaviour has no place in the modern working world.

Requests of this nature are discrimination and unlawful where male counterparts aren’t treated in this way, or where such unwanted requests create a humiliating or degrading environment for women .

We are hopeful, however, that as we approach a new way of working we will finally see this issue stamped out and the next generation of female workers no longer subjected to this harmful behaviour.”

Employment law specialists Slater and Gordon commissioned the research, polling 2,000 people who normally worked in office-based jobs, but who are now working from home during lockdown.

Over a third (34 per cent) were asked to wear more make-up or work on their hair and 27 per cent were asked to dress more sexily or provocatively. Women found it difficult to challenge this behaviour, a third (33 per cent) worried it would look like they couldn’t take a joke if they called it out or complained. A quarter (24 per cent) worried about the impact it would have on their career if they didn’t adhere to the requests to change the way they looked. It was difficult for women to defend themselves, but many were able to find their voice to defend and support female colleagues. A third (32 per cent), compared to a quarter of men (26 per cent), called out the comments during the meetings as inappropriate and unwelcome. 

The finding that 18 per cent of men say they laugh off these comments directed at colleagues, compared to only eight per cent of women shows just one of the ways in which men need to think about the impact on their colleagues that might not seem obvious.

Slater and Gordon employment lawyer Danielle Parsons says: Everyone has the right to feel safe, comfortable and protected at work. Especially now as our workplaces are increasingly encroaching into our personal lives as we work from dining room tables, living rooms or home offices.

We can see from this research, these comments about appearance suggest to women they offer little more than their looks. It wears down a person’s feeling of worth in the workplace and their own attitudes towards themselves. If anyone encounters this kind of commentary online or in person they should report it to a manager or HR team and seek legal advice. I would also suggest people step up and challenge this when they hear it said to others to show that this behaviour is wrong.

A third of men and women say they have put up with comments about their appearance over video calls in a way they would never tolerate in person, due to the pandemic’s toll on the job market.