A reader writes:

I’m the co-owner of a small enterprise which beforehand had two receptionists, Alice and Becky, each girls. Recently, Becky has gone to part-time, and we’ve employed a new male receptionist, Charlie. The downside is, members of the general public persistently fail to acknowledge that Charlie is the receptionist.

The receptionists work a staggered schedule so we normally have just one, however throughout busy instances we may have two on the similar desk. When each Charlie and Alice are working, customers most frequently method Alice first, and normally will solely go as much as Charlie if Alice is already talking with another person. In a number of circumstances, they’ve began to kind a line to attend for Alice until Charlie waves them down and calls them over. When Charlie is alone, we’ve a a lot larger price of individuals being unable to determine who to talk to (this nearly by no means occurs when Alice and Becky are alone). In two circumstances, we had individuals stroll previous the desk into the again workplace space and method the closest lady for assist.

Potentially related data:

* They are situated at a desk throughout from the doorway, so with a view to go by way of the realm individuals should go by the desk.
* In addition to gender, Charlie is black and each Alice and Becky are white.
* The receptionists additionally do admin work and assist with paperwork after they’re not aiding customers. Because the customers method them inconsistently, Charlie finally ends up doing extra of this work and fewer buyer help regardless of having the identical job title.
* The desk is labeled “Receptionist.” I moved the label to a extra distinguished place, however it hasn’t appeared to assist.

Obviously I wish to forestall this, however am unsure the place to begin. Most of our customers are not regulars, so this isn’t one thing I can method with them individually.

Yeah, individuals are socialized to see girls as helpers and in help roles — however it’s fairly superb that Charlie is proper there behind the receptionist desk and folks are nonetheless queuing as much as watch for a lady or can’t determine the place to hunt assist in any respect. Charlie’s state of affairs is the inverse of the ladies who are assumed to be help employees after they aren’t! It would nearly be humorous if it weren’t so exhausting.

As is so typically the case with sexism, you’re going to should search for work-arounds. The two that appear prone to have essentially the most influence:

1. How massive is your Receptionist signal? If it’s a small nameplate (like the kind that sits atop a desk), are you able to get a lot bigger signage — one thing measured in toes, not inches — that claims “help desk” or “please check in here” or related? “Help desk” may even be a helpful change in language as a result of “receptionist” remains to be female-coded in a lot of brains.

2. Talk to Charlie about what you’re seeing and ask for his concepts. At a minimal — and this may in all probability do greater than anything will — you must ask him to be extra assertive about saying “I can help you over here” or “I can help the next person in line” or “good morning, how can I help?” and so forth. But he might need different concepts too, and it’ll be good to enlist him in serving to to resolve the issue.

I wouldn’t be shocked if race is taking part in a function too — with individuals discovering white girls extra approachable than a black man, subconsciously or in any other case — and hopefully the above methods will assist there as nicely.