This research is part of the Workplace Health Gap Report, which draws on a survey of over 2,000 women and ranks industry sectors based on real experiences of women feeling patronised, discriminated or held back in their careers due to gender bias or female health needs.
UK’s Most Sexist Industries According to the Workplace Health Gap Report
The UK’s most sexist industries
- IT & Telecoms
- HR
- Engineering & Manufacturing
- Sales, Media & Marketing
- Finance
IT & Telecoms ranks as the most sexist sector in the UK. Women in this industry report the highest levels of appearance-based scrutiny (57%), the greatest pressure to overperform due to their gender (55%), and the highest incidence of needing to downplay femininity to be taken seriously (63%). Additionally, over half (53%) say they’ve experienced microaggressions, while one in five (20%) feel gender bias has negatively impacted their career progression.
Despite being a traditionally female-dominated field, HR follows closely behind in second place. It tops the list for the highest percentage of women who have been spoken over by a male colleague (86%). It also sees 44% experiencing appearance-based scrutiny and 53% feeling pressure to suppress their femininity at work. Alarmingly, nearly half (47%) report insufficient support for their health and well-being in the workplace.
Engineering & Manufacturing ranks third with 68% of women reporting they’ve been patronised, and 59% saying they’ve felt the need to downplay their femininity. Over 66% report being scrutinised for how they look, and 39% say workplace support for women’s health is lacking. 27% of women in this field feel that gender equality has held them back from their career progression.
Most Equal UK Industry Sectors and Key Workplace Equality Insights
The UK’s most equal industry sectors
- Education
- Retail, Catering & Leisure
- Healthcare
The Workplace Health Gap Report considers a range of experiences, including:
• Instances of being patronised, overlooked or spoken over by a male colleague
• Impact of gender bias on career progression
• Support for women’s health in the workplace
• Experiences of appearance-based scrutiny and microaggressions
• Pressure to overperform or downplay femininity to be taken seriously
This campaign aims to open up conversation, celebrate progress, and drive continued improvements in workplace culture nationwide.
