I thought I'd share my experience working in a software house in London, UK, because why not? My story is not particularly poignant, I'm just in the mood to share. This happened a few years ago.

Let's start with the secretaries. They almost never greeted me back in the morning as I passed by reception. I still kept on saying "good morning" anyway because it seemed incredibly rude otherwise, passing less than two metres away from them. When someone else, higher than me in the pecking order, passed, they would indeed say "good morning". Why not with me? maybe low status, foreigner, new in the office, who knows?

One time I needed a ruler for my work so I asked for one to a secretary, who squawked back "why is everybody trying me today?". Maybe I'm thin skinned to be bothered by this? maybe, but it denotes lack of tact and self awareness in dealing with others.

Another time, one of the secretaries, an old witch, wouldn't let me throw some paper in a bin that was close to reception because according to her that was "the secretaries' bin".

The few female programmers in the team were quite mediocre on the technical side. Never understood why they were hired.

One of them was recruited to join the team and introduced as having a "bubbly" personality among other things. She was not very good. She didn't have much experience with the tech stack and tools, and on her second day she suddenly grabbed the keyboard and loudly smashed it against the table in frustration for who knows what reason. True story.