Why Credibility Matters Long Before You Need It

For years, many women have shared a common frustration: when they report workplace abuse, harassment, or inappropriate behavior, they often feel their concerns are not taken as seriously as those raised by their male colleagues. Until recently, much of that understanding came from personal experience, organizational case studies, and the broader conversations sparked by the #MeToo movement. There was widespread recognition that women frequently felt unheard, but comparatively little empirical evidence explaining what happened after a report was made.

That changed with a recent Harvard Business Review article, "Research: Women's Complaints of Workplace Abuse Get Ignored More Than Men's," by Timothy G. Kundro, Alyssa Tedder-King, Olivia M. Walker, and Marissa Shandell. The article summarizes the authors' 2025 peer-reviewed study, "Reject or Protect? Corrective Action in Response to Women's vs. Men's Reports of Workplace Abuse," published in Organization Science pp. 1745–1763. Rather than relying on hypothetical scenarios alone, the researchers analyzed real workplace reports and conducted a series of experiments to better understand how organizations respond when employees report abuse.

What the Research Found

The findings are difficult to ignore.

The researchers note that workplace abuse is far from uncommon. Citing previous research, they report that approximately 44% of employees have experienced workplace abuse during their careers (1746). Yet reporting the behavior does not always produce the same organizational response.

In one field study, the researchers analyzed data from more than 14,500 federal employees, including 2,469 employees who had reported workplace abuse (p. 1,749). Among those who reported abuse, organizations took corrective action in 27% of cases involving men, compared with 23% of cases involving women (p. 1,750). While that difference may appear modest, it was statistically significant and consistent with the broader pattern identified throughout the research.

The study also found that women were actually more likely than men to report workplace abuse, yet they were less likely to see corrective action follow those reports (p. 1751). Across six studies, the researchers identified a key explanation: when corroborating evidence was limited, decision-makers relied more heavily on perceptions of the reporter's credibility. When stronger corroborating evidence was available, much of the gender difference disappeared (p. 1758).

The implication is significant. Credibility influenced whether organizations acted on reports of workplace abuse.

Extending the Conversation

The research stops at an important question.

If credibility influences whether organizations act on reports of workplace abuse, where does that credibility come from?

The study identifies credibility as an important factor in organizational decision-making, but it does not examine how professional credibility is developed over the course of a career. That is where I believe leadership development has something meaningful to contribute.

Harvey J. Coleman's PIE framework offers one useful lens. Coleman argued that career success is influenced not only by Performance, but also by Image and Exposure. Image is frequently misunderstood as appearance or self-promotion. In reality, it refers to the professional reputation others develop about your competence, judgment, business acumen, and leadership readiness.

Viewed through this lens, Image serves a purpose beyond promotions.

If credibility shapes how seriously people take your ideas, your recommendations, and even your reports of workplace misconduct, then Image becomes more than a career advancement strategy. It becomes part of your professional influence.

What This Does and Does Not Mean

It is important to be clear about what this argument is not suggesting.

The research does not imply that women are responsible for organizational bias. Nor should women have to build extraordinary credibility simply to be treated fairly. The responsibility for creating equitable reporting systems belongs squarely with organizations and their leaders.

At the same time, organizations rarely change overnight. While companies continue improving their systems, individuals still have to operate within the environments that exist today.

That reality makes professional credibility increasingly important.

Every opportunity to communicate business impact instead of simply reporting activity, demonstrate sound judgment during difficult decisions, contribute strategic perspectives, or become known as someone whose recommendations consistently create value helps strengthen professional Image. Over time, those repeated experiences shape how others perceive your judgment and credibility.

When a difficult conversation eventually arises, whether advocating for a promotion, challenging a strategic decision, or reporting workplace misconduct, people are rarely evaluating your credibility for the first time. They are drawing on years of accumulated impressions.

That is why Image matters, and it's not because it guarantees fairness. Image matters because credibility influences far more than promotions. It influences whether your ideas gain traction, whether your recommendations carry weight, and, as this important research suggests, whether your voice is believed when it matters most.