On International Women’s Rights Day, many organizations are reaffirming their commitment to gender equality. Diversity programs, commitment charters and action plans are multiplying. But the question remains: what really determines employee support for these policies?
Different perceptions for different groups
This was the question addressed by Joseph Mumbanza , Laurent Licata and Claudia Toma - Centre de psychologie sociale et culturelle, Faculté de Psychologie, des Sciences de l’Éducation et de Logopédie. Their research, conducted in part at ULB and published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, sheds some unexpected light. Contrary to popular belief, acknowledging the existence of discrimination does not systematically reinforce support for equality policies.The results show that this effect varies according to the group to which one belongs. Among men, greater awareness of gender discrimination tends to increase support for corrective measures. For women, on the other hand, this same awareness can lead to greater skepticism. In particular, it reinforces the impression that organizations display a commitment to equality without always translating it into concrete changes.
Rethinking policies to build trust
These results highlight an often invisible tension: what mobilizes some may, at the same time, fuel mistrust in others. For organizations, the challenge is not just to raise awareness of discrimination, but also to demonstrate the real impact of the actions taken.By opening up new avenues of reflection, this research invites us to design more credible equality policies, capable of both mobilizing allies and reinforcing the confidence of men and women in these policies.
