10/25/2017

Study: Lack of Diversity Isn't Linked to Behavior

Do women and men act all that differently?

Gender equality remains frustratingly elusive. Women are underrepresented in the C-suite, receive lower salaries and are less likely to receive a critical first promotion to manager than men. Numerous causes have been suggested, but one argument that persists points to differences in men and women’s behavior.

Which raises the question: Do women and men act all that differently? We realized that there’s little to no concrete data on women’s behavior in the office. Previous work has relied on surveys and self-reported assessments — methods of data collecting that are prone to bias. Fortunately, the proliferation of digital communication data and the advancement of sensor technology have enabled us to more precisely measure workplace behavior.

We decided to investigate whether gender differences in behavior drive gender differences in outcomes at one of our client organizations, a large multinational business strategy firm, where women were underrepresented in upper management. In this company, women made up roughly 35–40 percent of the entry-level workforce but a smaller percentage at each subsequent level. Women made up only 20 percent of people at the fourth level (the second highest at this organization).

Please click here to read the complete article from Harvard Business Review.