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“Masculine” women earn more: study
–
Expert available for comment –
New research has shown that women who adopt a "masculine approach" in the
office earn up to $83,000 more in their working lives than "nicer" female
colleagues.
The study, Does it Pay to be Nice, showed "Alpha females" earned 4 per cent
more than their "passive" female co-workers, while "neurotic" women earned 3 per
cent less.
While the research by German academic Guido Heineck found personality traits as
important as intelligence in determining a woman's salary, it showed men’s earning
potential was barely affected by personality issues.
What does the research say about the barriers women face in the modern
workplace?
Do women need to take on stereotypically male traits in order to succeed?
Why do personality issues affect the earning capacity of women more than men?
RMIT University's Dr Sara Charlesworth is an expert on equal employment
opportunity, industrial relations and work/family balance.
Dr Charlesworth has worked on a number of government and NGO-funded
research projects around pay equity and work and family balance.
She is a foundation member of the Work and Family Policy Roundtable and is on
the Victorian State Government’s Working Families Council.
A Senior Research Fellow in RMIT’s Centre for Applied Social Research, Dr
Charlesworth is available for comment on the issues related to research on
personality traits and women’s earning capacity.
For interviews: RMIT University’s Dr Sara Charlesworth, (03) 9925 3354 or
0412 889 122.
For general media enquiries: RMIT University Communications, Gosia
Kaszubska, (03) 9925 3176 or 0417 510 735.
15 July, 2009
NEWS 
