Breaking the Bias this international women’s day
Change does not occur spontaneously; we must actively work to make it happen. At B. Braun Colombia and Ecuador, all team members play a crucial role in breaking down gender bias.
We recently asked our employees who have confronted gender stereotypes in their careers how they have contributed to reducing the gender gap and accelerating cultural change.
How did they face and overcome bias associated with their roles or fields of work?
David Beltran
"Interpersonal skills are competencies that are generally attributed to women, who are believed to develop primarily and successfully in areas that are considered "soft".
David has faced this bias in his role as HR Services Team Lead and he tells us how, from his position, he faces the challenges associated with this bias in the corporate environment:
“We are currently working on strengthening gender equality and ensuring that all male and female employees have the same opportunities. Unfortunately, there are still unconscious biases in society that lead us to assume a person's level of professional competence based on their gender. For example, it is expected that women will not take leadership positions because of their "emotionalism" and that men will not take human resources positions because of their "lack of it". Therefore, we must work every day to show that these barriers can be weakened in the corporate context. In my case, since the development of my position, I have challenged gender stereotypes by recognizing that interpersonal competencies are skills that can be developed in any person, regardless of the gender with a person identifies. Fostering an inclusive environment where competencies are valued, promoting diversity and talent without gender bias, and focusing the team work to a common goal of internal service with best class quality.”
Diana Mateus
“Women prefer working with male leaders in financial positions”.
Diana shares her experience as a woman working in finance and how she has faced biases against female leadership. She notes that both male and female leaders have supported her professional growth and believed in her abilities.
“That's why I've always believed in mutually enhancing our strengths and abilities, rather than focusing on gender wars, and promoting a talent-focused approach. As leaders, we must encourage teamwork, listen to our colleagues, and work with organizations to establish strategies that create favorable work environments for everyone, regardless of gender.
Throughout my professional experience in various financial roles, I have heard several colleagues express a preference for working with men because they are perceived as more objective and less emotional. However, I reject this myth and strive to be the leader I always wanted to have. One strategy that has helped me is being open and adaptable in different environments, not only in the workplace but also in education. I have participated in various projects with both men and women, and I have gained valuable insights from the intellectual diversity that can be enriching in achieving common goals, regardless of the gender of the recipient. It was at this point that I realized that in work teams, we should not oppose each other, but rather complement each other.”
Eliana González
"Achieving optimal performance in engineering teams requires an energetic and decisive disposition. This is often associated with traditional perceptions of male leadership".
“The department I currently lead has been associated with a predominantly male domain in various markets for many years. This is due to the perception that engineering is a field reserved for those with strong technical skills. However, organizations have recognized that both technical and interpersonal skills are essential in today's landscape. Therefore, my biggest challenge has been developing not only my technical skills but also my leadership, communication, teamwork, and service skills to contribute to the job market. I believe that this is not a gender-specific challenge, but rather a professional challenge that anyone who wishes to develop themselves can undertake in order to transform themselves and make an impact on a work team. This is especially important in an era where more than three generations coexist in the workforce and the challenges of achieving objectives go beyond technical skills, encompassing motivation, cohesion, and the development of human talent.”
Rosa Lilia Forero
“Maintenance is a field that requires certain skills and abilities, sometimes physical and strength-related, that are believed to be fulfilled mainly by men and not so much by women.”
Rosa, Production and Technical Area Leader at the suture plant in Colombia, shares with us how she has faced this stereotype in her maintenance career.
“I started my professional career as a maintenance technician, and today I hold a leadership role in the area. Throughout my experience, I have challenged the stereotype that certain roles can only be performed by men. I have achieved this by believing in myself and demonstrating that women also can perform these tasks, even though physical strength and dexterity are associated with the social construct of masculinity. I also thank my team for helping me grow as a person.”
I am extremely proud to perform this work, and I thank the company for providing unbiased opportunities.
Valentina Pilonieta
“Gender stereotypes still exist in the fields of science and technology, and we must overcome these limitations and societal categorizations of women in certain disciplines.”
The evolution of our times has seen an increase in the number of women pursuing professional careers in science and technology. Adapting to various situations has been a constant challenge throughout my career, from being the only woman in a university class to establishing my place in a diverse team through my knowledge, skills, and experience.
I consider myself fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with diverse teams and have women as team leaders. These women have taught me the importance of self-confidence in demonstrating our abilities to others, as well as the need to be prepared to work with people from different countries and cultures, which also changes the dynamics of how we relate.
At the end of the day, the position you hold or the team you work with is not the most important thing. The crucial thing is to avoid prejudices, demonstrate your skills, and understand the skills of others to build a stronger team and work towards a common goal.
Jhon Martinez
“In the field of surgical instrument management, there has been a trend towards hiring and training teams composed mostly of women due to the commonly made association between them and greater attention to detail and cleaning skills.”
As a Technical Support for Implants, Jhon shares with us how he faces this bias related to competencies and skills incorrectly associated with gender.
“In my experience, I believe that we can learn from others and build solutions as a team, regardless of gender. For instance, my colleagues have taught me to be more practical and meticulous. In Colombia, there are companies that employ only surgical female instrument technicians, as there are more professional women in this field.
However, it is important to note that men who work in this field possess the same level of knowledge, positive attitude, and agility to respond to the demands of the role, regardless of gender. Emphasizing the importance of recognizing the skills and abilities of all professionals in the field.”
Oscar Martínez Centeno
“In the area of General Services, women tend to occupy these roles due to the association with caring tasks, cooking, and attention to detail.”
Oscar Martinez Centeno, who has held the role of General Services Assistant for several years, shares his experience:
“I have been working in the General Services position for 6 years, which I am very proud of.' I have faced many challenges in life that I have been able to overcome. I believe that accepting myself as I am, have allowed me to break any paradigm and show that I can contribute to a job that was previously believed to be only for women. That is why I feel comfortable and challenged performing my duties and demonstrating that general services are also men's skills.”
Nidia Rodriguez
"Traumatology professionals are often supported by surgical instrumentalists, who have traditionally been male due to the social perception that certain tasks in trauma require physical strength, predominantly attributed to the male gender."
For Nidia, it has been a significant challenge to establish herself in the professional field due to the gender bias in her role as a trauma instrumentalist, a field that has historically been male assigned.
"Gradually, women have been gaining ground in this specialty, proving that success is not based only strength, but on knowledge. However, there are times when the use of force is required, especially when handling heavy equipment that is difficult to transport. In such cases, physical or human resources are used to facilitate this task. Despite being a task that was considered exclusively for men, we women perform it with great skill.
Nidia expresses her satisfaction at being able to perform a task that has always been taboo, as it was considered "for men". According to her criteria and that of many other professionals, she performs her job without any inconvenience and to the best of her ability complementing with the knowledge and strength of her male colleagues."