Scots women are being told to dress more provocatively during work video chats during lockdown, a new study has found.
More than 35 per cent of women in the UK say they have experience at least one sexist demand while working from home since March this year.
Some bosses have told female staff members to dress ‘sexier’ or wear make-up during conference calls over the internet.
It had been hoped incidents of sexism during work amid the coronavirus pandemic would plummet.
However, research carried out by Slater and Gordon solicitors has revealed that some bosses have found new ways to objectify their staff.
The law firm found that the most common way men and women in positions of power justified their sexist comments on dress was that it would ‘help to win new business ’ - with the excuse being used in 41 per cent of cases.
Other reasons included that it was important to ‘look nicer for the team’ (41 per cent) and that it would be more ‘pleasing to a client’ (38 per cent).
Around 40 per cent of women felt that these demands were targeted at them or other women in their team, rather than equally with their male peers.
The women in these cases say they felt demoralised, objectified and even self-conscious about their appearance.
A quarter of women say they boosted their beauty regime as a result of the comments, in case it had a negative impact on their career.
Slater and Gordon employment lawyer Danielle Parsons said: “It is categorically wrong for a manager or anyone in a position of power to suggest, even politely, for a woman to be more sexually appealing in the workplace.
“This is a powerful form of coercion which makes women feel as if they must adhere to the manager’s request and be more visually pleasing to be successful at their job. This is demeaning to women.
“It’s extremely disappointing that we are still having these conversations, particularly during this time when women are juggling a multitude of roles from home, and may be also struggling with childcare responsibilities. This type of archaic behaviour has no place in the modern working world.
“Requests of this nature are discrimination and unlawful where male counterparts aren’t treated in this way, or where such unwanted requests create a humiliating or degrading environment for women.”
