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11 Unlocking the Potential of Parents in the Contingent Workforce | Custom Research Powered by SIA |© Crain Communications Inc | All Rights Reserved | September 2022 Impact of Gender Bias SECTION 2 Impact of Gender Bias Despite this clear business case, gender bias inhibits the pursuit of parent- friendly, ROI-enhancing policies. To the question, "are men and women equally empathetic to the needs of parents?" we find perceptions vary widely by gender. Far more men are likely to agree (72%), while only half of women surveyed agree with that viewpoint. 70% 50% 30% 10% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Gender bias likely influences outcomes Men and women disagree on gender empathy Perception of empathy toward parents: women vs. men Which best describes the approach toward parents and caregivers among contingent workers in your company? N=150. 18% 10% 72% Women are generally more empathetic to the needs of parents and caregivers Men are generally more empathetic to the needs of parents and caregivers Both women and men are equally empathetic to the needs of parents and caregivers % strongly agree 43% 7% 50% Men Women 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Women are more likely to pursue advanced practices % following one or more advanced practices (strongly agree) Women Men Strongly agree with: "Our practices toward supporting parents and caregivers in the contingent workforce are leading edge." N=150. 55% 41% This difference may have a significant impact on program practices. Over half (55%) of women pursue one or more of the advanced practices, while only 41% of men do so, and since displaying empathy is one of those practices, the perception of women as empathetic may not be far off. Empathy is also a crucial part of creating a working environment that will attract and retain parents in contingent roles. "Working moms are looking for companies that understand their situation, have empathy, and allow for some kind of flexibility in the workday — an understanding culture that allows them to do what they need to do and also do their job," said a contingent workforce program manager at a tech company. Additionally, women represented significantly fewer senior-level executives at the C-suite or director level among those surveyed.