Study: Male, female work experiences differ
Researchers at Stanford University's Clayman Institute for Gender Research suggests that men and women are assessed significantly different at work.
Their report in The Wall Street Journal says, specifically, that managers are more likely to critique a female employee for coming on too strong, and their accomplishments are more likely than men's to be seen as the result of team, rather than individual efforts.
The trends hold up whether the boss making the assessments is male or female.
Those making the study say the differences are products of unconscious bias, hidden beliefs about women's capabilities that can influence important workplace decisions. For example, if bosses expect women to be more team-oriented and men to be more independent in their jobs, women may be more likely to be shunted into support roles rather than landing the core positions that lead to executive jobs.
Many managers internalize stereotypes over time, the researchers say. In performance reviews, women had 2.5 times the amount of feedback about aggressive communication style, such as "your speaking style is off-putting." Women were described as supportive, collaborative and helpful twice as many times as men were.
Rick Good spent ten years in the newspaper business, including with The News & Observer (Raleigh, NC) and The Greenville News (Greenville, SC). He co-wrote, with Melinda Coleman, Rutledge to Riley: Governors of South Carolina, 1776–Present (Published by The Greenville News), and is the author of Mind Games Trivia #1 (Amazon). He has recently spent 15 years creating original trivia content through Sounds Good Mobile Entertainment and continues that with his new company, SGME Software. He edits The Smart Reader’s money, real estate, and business coverage.