New Study Shows Gender Differences in Job Performance May Be Declining

TULSA, Okla.--()--A new study published in Human Performance, a Taylor & Francis publication, has found that gender only has minimal effects on job performance ratings. The performance ratings of approximately 3,500 managers and more than 9,500 non-managers were gathered across 20 years by Hogan Assessments, a global leader in personality assessment and leadership development.

This new study, conducted by Thomas H. Stone, Oklahoma State University; Jeff Foster, Hogan Assessments; Brian D. Webster, Ball State University; Jennifer Harrison, NEOMA University; and I. M. Jawahar, Illinois State University, is the first to examine ratings of multiple job performance dimensions conducted by supervisors for both managerial and non-managerial personnel. It demonstrated that gender does not influence ratings on specific job performance dimensions.

“We found that gender had only minimal effects on ratings for a small number of specific job performance dimensions,” says Stone. “This was generally true regardless of whether the job performance dimension was more agentic (stereotypically male) or communal (stereotypically female) in nature, whether the job was managerial or a non-managerial position, and regardless of the proportion of men or women that traditionally occupy a specific job.”

While the study found that one gender does not consistently receive better performance ratings than the other, it did however determine that women receive slightly higher ratings in some settings and males receive higher ratings in others. For example, women exceeded men in areas such as caring, building relationships and teamwork, while men exceeded women in risk management, initiative, achievement orientation and self-confidence.

“Our results indicate there are no meaningful differences in ratings of men and women regardless of job type,” says Stone. “Although we encourage further research, our results conclusively demonstrate a lack of gender differences in job performance ratings.” The authors feel these results should be reassuring to people concerned with the negative rhetoric regarding women of the presidential campaign.

To view the entire study online, visit Taylor & Francis Online.

Contacts

Hogan Assessments
Blake Loepp, 918-978-6475
bloepp@hoganassessments.com

Release Summary

A new study published in Human Performance, a Taylor & Francis publication, has found that gender only has minimal effects on job performance ratings.

Contacts

Hogan Assessments
Blake Loepp, 918-978-6475
bloepp@hoganassessments.com