The 6 Big Communication Obstacles That Women Face At Work

Women make up a significant percentage of any modern workforce, and are employed in every sector - from caring to construction. Despite this, many women say that they face challenges and obstacles in the workplace.
In this article, we’re going to be talking about one of the biggest of these obstacles - communication.

Talking A Good Job

It’s undeniable that women will tend to excel at communication within their private and family lives. But a good number struggle with communication in the workplace. In this section, we’re looking at the six big communication obstacles that women face at work:

Credit Where Credit Is Due

Even when women are represented in every major industry, some are extremely uncomfortable about accepting praise. More importantly, they often struggle to ensure that the right people are aware of their achievements. For example, after a successful project at work, women are more likely to say that the success was achieved “as a team effort” They may actually shy away from claiming the credit for themselves.

For sure, this kind of modesty might be considered attractive or even noble in other parts of our lives. But in the workplace it can mean that a woman is often overlooked when it comes to promotion or being given major projects or clients.

Criticism Builds Consternation

Whatever type of work you do, there will usually be a time when your manager will point out a shortcoming in your work. This is, of course, never particularly pleasant. But men will, in general, tend to be able to listen to what’s said, absorb it and then make the necessary adjustments – even if they may criticize the critic in the pub with their friends. Women, on the other hand, are often guilty of taking this criticism personally. And perhaps understandably, this can be a hindrance to them when it comes to improving their performance and getting ahead.

The Negotiation Hurdle

In the same way, many men see negotiation as a vital part of making sure that their value is acknowledged by an employer. Which means they’re comfortable with (sometimes aggressively) negotiating their salary, benefits and even their job title!

A study reported in the Harvard Business Review in 2003, showed that when offered a new position, 57% of men were happy to negotiate their salary – but unfortunately, only 7% of women would do the same.
The reasons for this are complex, but often come down to the fact that many women simply don’t have the same confidence in their abilities and their worth as men do. Predictably, this can lead to resentment when a woman feels overlooked and undervalued.

The Challenge Of Challenging Power

Within a workplace, teams are made up of a number of different personalities and differing views. On the whole, this is a good thing. But problems can arise when viewpoints clash.

Men will generally feel fairly comfortable about challenging the views of their bosses – especially if they feel they have a better solution. Women, however, will often be more reluctant to challenge somebody in a higher position for fear of recriminations or, even, the fear of ridicule. Sadly, many women report that they have been belittled or mocked by a superior in the workplace - often in front of other colleagues This is both demoralizing and, actually, downright unacceptable.

The danger here is that a woman who is afraid to challenge authority may be seen as a doormat or, worse, somebody who doesn’t have anything to contribute.

Asking For Help

For decades, women have had to consistently prove that they are equal to men in the workplace. This means that they have to work harder than their male counterparts in many cases. An unfortunate by-product of this is that women will often be reluctant to ask for help for fear of being seen as needy or incompetent.

The fact is that asking for help is actually a sign of strength! Requesting assistance demonstrates a commitment to getting the job done as effectively as possible. And failing to ask for help will often result in poor work or a missed deadline – neither of which will reflect well on a woman’s performance.

Projecting Authority

Making the transition from colleague to boss is rarely an easy one for anybody, but women in particular can struggle with this one. One minute your colleagues are your friends and the next minute they’re your team members and, as such, a sense of distance and authority is required.



While a woman will feel perfectly at ease with asserting authority over her children - and even her partner - she will sometimes struggle to do the same thing at work. It goes without saying that this can lead to a lack of direction in a team, while the female boss feels that her employees are walking all over her.

Overcoming Communication Obstacles

Communication skills are vital in almost every job and every industry. But these come more naturally to some than to others. If you struggle to communicate at work, there are a few things you can do, like practicing with friends or family, and even videoing yourself to get an idea of how you come across to others.

Having said that, if communication is an essential part of your job, you may benefit from taking one of our online communication courses. Affordable and effective, these courses can help you to overcome the obstacles which may be holding you back at work. They cover a wide range of subjects and teach some extremely valuable skills.

Nowadays, everyone is expected to communicate with others across a number of mediums. This means in-person, on the telephone and (of course) online. And mastering all of this can be tricky to say the least. So taking the plunge by investing in a communication course can be a highly effective option if you want to get your message across - and getting ahead - at work.