Employers urged to address gender attitudes as Gen Z enters workforce

“Organisations should focus more on practical conversations about workplace behaviour, power dynamics, and the difference between personal beliefs and professional conduct.

“Ultimately, workplaces have an opportunity to be part of the solution.

“When companies set clear cultural standards and enforce them consistently, they create environments where everyone (particularly women entering or progressing in their careers) can feel respected, supported and safe.”

Li said organisations should set clear behavioural expectations from the outset and ensure professional standards are communicated during onboarding and reinforced through workplace policies.

Managers should also be equipped to challenge inappropriate comments or behaviour when they occur, she added, as subtle remarks or jokes that undermine women can often go unaddressed if leaders feel unsure how to respond.

She also stressed the importance of safe and accessible reporting systems.

Women are more likely to raise concerns when they believe complaints will be taken seriously and acted upon, she said, highlighting the role of anonymous reporting channels, clear escalation processes and visible follow-through from leadership.

Li noted that visible female leadership and mentorship programmes can also help challenge outdated assumptions about gender roles while demonstrating what equality looks like in practice.

Workplaces can also provide an important counterbalance to online influences shaping younger workers’ views, she added, by modelling collaboration, emotional intelligence and mutual respect between colleagues.

Finally, Li said organisations should encourage male allyship and ensure responsibility for tackling gender bias does not fall solely on women.

When leaders consistently model inclusive behaviour and address problems as they arise, she said, workplace culture is shaped by actions rather than policies alone.

She concluded: “When organisations take these steps, they help create an environment where women feel safe and respected – and where younger employees learn that professionalism and equality are core workplace expectations.”