Money & Career
The personality trait that could hold you back from making more at work
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Money & Career
The personality trait that could hold you back from making more at work
Do nice gals finish last? One study looks at the benefits of speaking your mind at work.
Do you make it a point to be agreeable and just plain nice at the office? Well, you're doing yourself a disservice, and—wait for it—you're probably making less money than both your more assertive female colleagues and your "nice" male coworkers.
A study in the European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology found that women who don't back down from their demands and can express their expectations clearly were better compensated than those who were more accommodating. If you find it difficult to be more domineering at work, you're not alone: The study's authors say women aren't aware that those who are more affable are being punished financially for being sugar and spice.
So what's the takeaway? To start, the Canadian Women's Foundation suggests you "recognize gender stereotypes that reinforce notions of ‘appropriate' work for men and women" and address discrimination in male-dominated fields.
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