Resumen de A quantitative examination of gender bias in competency-based evaluation processes in Spanish organisations

Ángel Bartolomé Muñoz de Luna , Sonia Martín Gómez

• Objective: In this study, the role of gender stereotypes is examined in terms of evaluating the competencies and employability of recent university graduates. It focuses on how these stereotypes may influence employer perception and assessment of performance in the workplace.

  Methodology: A quantitative approach was employed using computer-assisted web interviews (CAWI) with 440 employers drawn from a database of 6,524 companies. Data were analysed using SPSS Statistics 25, including descriptive statistics, MANOVA, ANOVA and non-parametric tests (Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis).

  Results: Overall, no significant gender differences were observed for most competencies in either univariate or multivariate analyses. However, non-parametric tests revealed a small albeit statistically significant gender difference in ‘action and performance at work’, indicating that this specific competency may be subject to subtle gender biases in perception and evaluation.

  Limitations: The study is limited to self-reported employer evaluations, which may be subjective, and focuses on graduates from just one university, which may limit the extent to which they can be extrapolated.

  Practical implications: The findings stress how important it is to address gender biases in terms of evaluating competencies and performance. Organisations should adopt equity-aware evaluation practices, foster inclusive environments and ensure that assessment criteria take into account different expressions of professional competence.