Male-Dominated vs Gender-Inclusive Workplaces: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Gender-based discrimination remains a pervasive issue across various professional sectors, often manifesting through wage disparities, limited career advancement, and biased perceptions particularly in male-dominated industries. Despite strides toward gender equality, women continue to face systemic obstacles that hinder their professional growth and productivity. These challenges are exacerbated by cultural norms, institutional biases, and limited access to support networks. A systematic literature search was conducted using the following academic databases: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The search was limited to peer-reviewed articles published between 2015 and 2025. Search queries were constructed using Boolean operators (AND, OR) to combine key terms. The analysis focused on identifying recurring themes and patterns across diverse organizational contexts. Studies were grouped based on industry type, workplace gender composition (male-dominated vs. gender-inclusive), and key outcome measures. This study highlights the pervasive gender biases that female workers and students encounter in male-dominated industries, such as construction, automotive, STEM, and IT. These biases adversely affect women's emotional well-being, motivation, productivity, and career advancement. Despite systemic challenges, women employ diverse coping strategies including emotional resilience, skill enhancement, rhetorical adaptation, and identity management to navigate exclusionary environments. This study examines gender bias faced by women in male-dominated industries. These biases impact women’s motivation, emotional well-being, and career progress. Many cope by improving their skills, adapting behavior, or downplaying gender differences.