(MADISON, WI) –Despite concerted efforts to promote gender diversity in traditionally male-dominated fields, progress remains sluggish. Wisconsin School of Business assistant professor of Management and Human Resources, Jirs Meuris, has found out why.
Meuris and co-author Jennifer Merluzzi, of George Washington University, pioneered a study that reveals a paradox: as organizations strive to increase female representation in male-dominated occupations, they inadvertently trigger an evaluation and reward penalty for all employees, irrespective of gender, when more women enter these workplaces.
Meuris elaborates, “Our research uncovers a perplexing trend: the presence of more women in male-dominated fields can lead to diminished recognition and rewards for all employees. This holds true even for exceptional performers, undermining the notion of merit-based evaluation.”
“Our research uncovers a perplexing trend: the presence of more women in male-dominated fields can lead to diminished recognition and rewards for all employees.”
– Jirs Meuris
Drawing from an extensive analysis of performance awards among more than 13,000 police officers over 13 years, the study found that an officer’s individual likelihood of being nominated for a performance award consistently declined when the proportion of women officers in their police unit increased. Both men and women managers enacted this penalty, with men managers penalizing men subordinates more than women subordinates. This pattern was observed for awards recognizing routine and exceptional performance, regardless of gender-typing of the unit or its work tasks.
The study also highlights the pervasive nature of this phenomenon. It transcends occupational hazards, as even high-performing officers in risky roles experience diminished recognition in the presence of more women colleagues.
“Our findings offer novel insights into the challenge of diversifying male-dominated occupations, highlighting the complex interplay between gender composition, performance evaluation, and recognition,” says Meuris.
Moreover, the study underscores the inadequacy of conventional diversity strategies, emphasizing the need for systemic change. “Mere representation is insufficient,” Meuris asserts. “Organizations must overhaul their evaluation and reward systems to ensure equity, regardless of gender composition.”
“Organizations must overhaul their evaluation and reward systems to ensure equity, regardless of gender composition.”
– Jirs Meuris
This research serves as a wake-up call for organizations committed to fostering gender diversity. By addressing systemic biases in evaluation and reward mechanisms, companies can create environments conducive to equitable advancement for all employees.
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