As women in a dynamic profession, we should strive to support and encourage one another to grow rather than be stunted by gossip or petty
arguments.
FACT
18% of dentists are women
98% of dental hygienists
are women
99% of dental assistants are women
Whether you work in a corporate, clinical or educational setting, it is likely your workplace consists primarily of women. The dental hygiene and dental assisting professions are overwhelmingly represented by females—98% and 99% respectively—and the preponderance of women in dentistry demonstrates the exciting opportunity for women to belong to a successful, rewarding, and respected profession. The day-to-day interactions of women working with and for other women, however, can generate a unique set of office dynamics. In the years leading up to the women's movement of the 1970s, many of the challenges in the workplace were usually attributed to male/female dynamics. The shift in the work environment since then, welcoming more and more women into the workforce, has revealed a serious problem: Female to female work relationships are incredibly complex. Instead of being a supportive work network, many female to female work relationships are nothing short of destructive. To create positive female work relationships, we must first look at the psychology of women versus men. After all, they are from Mars and we are from Venus! It's the first day of summer camp for a group of 12-year-old boys. It's common to watch the boys “jockey” for position by using direct aggression tactics such as bullying, fighting, and teasing. Once the boys establish a hierarchy of power, they typically get along well as a cohesive group. They don’t hold grudges against those with whom they experienced the aforementioned argument or fight. For girls, it's a completely different ballgame. On the first day of summer camp for a group of 12-year-old girls, you won't witness direct aggression, you'll witness the vicious tactics known as indirect aggression. Indirect aggression comes in the form of actions such as gossip, spreading rumors, divulging secrets, making insulting comments in public, undermining and sabotaging peers, as well as purposefully ignoring and/or dropping friendships. These examples of indirect aggression typically cause immense friction in the group dynamic, leading to long-term consequences. Unlike their “forgive and forget” male counterparts, females rarely choose to move on from an attack of indirect aggression by another female. This is true for both the girls at summer camp and a group of dental hygienists working together in a practice. The psychology remains the same. In the workplace, these indirect acts of aggression undermine the professional status of the attacker and the individual being attacked, create long-lasting grudges, and ultimately, negatively affect the practice. We can't be productive and successful if we're focusing on Val's latest blow up, Monique's silent treatment, or Jackie's hurtful criticism. NOT LOVE, PROFESSIONALISM
Typically, men don't rank friendly, personal work relationships as an important factor in career satisfaction. Conversely, women commonly identify friendly, personal work relationships as one of the most important aspects of career satisfaction. While you don't have to be best friends with everyone in your office, it is important to treat one another with respect and professionalism. When the women working with women scenario is functioning properly, its a wonderful thing. When the women working with women scenario is malfunctioning, the work environment can become unproductive, stressful, and unhealthy. So what's the recipe for female to female work environment utopia? There's no easy answer to that question. Instead, take a look at some of the do's and don'ts listed to the left. They might seem silly, but they can make a world of difference in your office. - Compliment a co-worker for a job well done in front of fellow staff members.
- Acknowledge the small things that are important to her; for example, her birthday or her son's acceptance to college.
- Notice the small stuff. Tell her that a new haircut looks great or that you like the way she reorganized the supply closet.
- Always say t hank you.
- Pitch in without being aske d. Instead of reading a magazine during a no-show, process the stack of dirty instruments in the lab.
- Smile, it's contagious!
- We've all made mistakes. What's done is done. Now is the time to create positve, productive, healthy female workenvironments.
- Don't indulge a co-worker when she feels the need to vent about another colleague. Stay out of it!
- Don't bring up old grievances when trying to resolve a current issue. “…and another thing, last year you made me mad when you said…”
- Don't vent an issue with a co-worker via e-mail; the written word can be easily misinterpreted.
- Don't confront a co-worker in front of others. It's unprofessional and unnecessary.
- When addressing issues, don't use words like never and always.
- Don't brush off compliments.
Stacy McCauley, RDH, MS, is a member of the Modern Hygienist Editorial Advisory board. She also practices dental hygiene in Durham, N.C. and is a professional educator with Philips Sonicare.
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