Redressing the Big 4’s male, pale and stale image, through LGBTIQ+ ethical praxis

Egan, Matthew; Voss, Barbara de Lima

doi:10.1016/j.cpa.2022.102511

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…Third, the sample for the current study was too small to specifically investigate the harassment of LGBTQ+ people. Research has only started recently to explore the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals in PSFs (37,38). Future research in this area is encouraged to also specifically consider sexual harassment of LGBTQ+ individuals.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence and correlates of sexual harassment in professional service firms

Hardies

2023

Front. Public Health

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BackgroundDespite their significance, limited research has been conducted on sexual harassment in professional service firms (PSFs).MethodsSurvey data were gathered from 321 Belgian employees (155 women, 166 men) of global accounting and law firms. The prevalence of sexual harassment in PSFs based on traditional sexual harassment items and not-man-enough harassment items was reported. Correlations of respondents' experiences with workplace sexual harassment with perceived acceptance of sexual harassment by one's peers (social norms), personality traits, and demographic and job-related factors were examined.ResultsExperiences of workplace sexual harassment were widespread in the current sample: 88.5% of women and 83.3% of men experienced at least once or twice some form of sexual harassment at work during the past 24 months. The most frequent types of sexual harassment reported are examples of (verbal) forms of gender harassment. Instances of traditional harassment were experienced equally often by men and women, while not-man-enough harassment was much more frequently experienced by women. Severe physical sexual harassment was less frequent. Workplace sexual harassment is positively correlated with perceived acceptance of sexual harassment by one's peers and negatively with job level.ConclusionsResults of the current study align with research that links workplace sexual harassment with workplace culture and suggest that both men and women in PSFs experience enforcement of gender roles. It seems quintessential for firms to create working environments and cultures in which sexual harassment is clearly and unambiguously condemned and sanctioned.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Prevalence and correlates of sexual harassment in professional service firms

Hardies

2023

Front. Public Health

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“…L1 added that bringing “your authentic self to work” where people can be “really open about who they are” contributed to a sense of new norms of openness. A sense now that “nobody cares” was now responded to with some enthusiasm, confirming that at least some now perceived that broader social changes were now driving some loosening and shifting of prevailing workplace hetero‐cis normativities (Egan & Voss, 2022).…”

Section: Coming Out and Promises Of Happinessmentioning

confidence: 91%

“…A range of studies suggests the profession remains mired within narrow cis‐gendered (Carmona & Ezzamel, 2016; Joyce & Walker, 2015; Kornberger et al., 2010; Kumra & Vinnicombe, 2008) and heterosexual normativities (Grey, 1998; Shearer & Arrington, 1993). The “accounting profession has been characterized from the outset, by marginalization, discrimination and a favoring of the ‘male, pale and stale’” (Egan & Voss, 2022, p. 3). Hetero‐cis normativities enable ongoing dominance by older “white” male leaders (Anderson‐Gough et al., 2005; Haynes, 2017), contribute to staff attrition (Kornberger et al., 2010), and reinforce the use of “masculine pronouns,” which marginalize women and LGBTIQ+ individuals (Peytcheva, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All of the “Big 4” 2 professional service firms now claim openness and inclusivity (Ball, 2019; Egan, 2018; Egan & Voss, 2022). Nonetheless, Ghio et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…All of the "Big 4" 2 professional service firms now claim openness and inclusivity (Ball, 2019;Egan, 2018;Egan & Voss, 2022). Nonetheless, Ghio et al (2022) and McGuigan and Ghio (2018) argue that further radical change is needed, including greater inclusion of diverse genders and sexualities and the denouncement of tokenistic responses.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Ephemeral promises of happiness: Coming out in the Australian accounting profession into the late 2010s

Egan

Voss

2023

Gender Work & Organization

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This interview‐based study explores how shifting promises of happiness impact on LGBTIQ+ individuals within the workplace. Our study situates within the “Big 4” Australian professional service firms at a time of significant political change, centered around the legislating of marriage equality in 2017. Together with statements of support issued by each of these firms, these moves offered an increasing sense that secure promises of happiness were now offered to “out” LGBTIQ+ staff. A shifting of hetero‐cis normativities was suggested, offering some sense of greater safety, visibility, connection, and acceptance within these workplaces. However, these promises of happiness remained precarious and did little for issues that mattered most (including promotion), particularly individuals of intersectionality, including ethnically diverse and female individuals.

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