Gender pay gap on the rise, but companies continue to reward women that make decisions like men

London – 18th April 2019: British companies have come under extreme pressure when it comes to the gender pay gap, with a recent BBC report confirming that fewer than 50% of firms have narrowed the gap since reporting was introduced last year. Overall, 78% of the 10,000 UK firms that have provided a 2019 report had a pay gap that favoured men. Gender pay gap reporting looks at the average salary between men and women to determine the difference in pay, which is often skewed because of the lack of women in senior positions. This can be a result of stereotypes regarding the most effective leadership style and goes along with the general under-representation of women in leading roles, says John Hackston, Head of Thought Leadership at The Myers-Briggs Company. 

New research by The Myers-Briggs Company, the trusted business psychology provider, shows that 70% of women in leadership roles use the ‘Thinking’ preference to make decisions in the workplace – a preference that is normally more common with men. The study looked at data from 1.3 million people that have taken the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) assessment to investigate the role decision making plays in the workplace. 

The data reveals that women are generally associated with the ‘Feeling’ preference, a value-driven approach to decision making, while men mostly use ‘Thinking’, a preference that uses objectivity, logic and impersonal criteria to make decisions. However for women who reach more senior positions, the ‘Thinking’ preference often dominates (70%). While women are over-represented amongst lower employee levels, only just over half (55%) have a Thinking preference. This indicates that even when women reach higher levels, a values-driven perspective is lacking in leadership. For men, there was little difference in the proportion of “Thinking” compared with “Feeling” between occupation levels.

Speaking about the research findings, John Hackston, Head of Thought Leadership at The Myers-Briggs Company said:  

“While the gender pay gap reporting was introduced to encourage companies into taking action, it has also highlighted deep rooted issues that hinder progress. To bridge the gap, businesses must fight against leadership stereotypes that affects their workforce and give women a fair chance to lead.    

“Despite women bringing positive business results, our research shows that women with a ‘Feeling’ preference struggle to be promoted to senior positions. However men are far more likely to reach a higher occupational level regardless of their personality preference. In other terms, predispositions that are associated with women, such as the ‘Feeling’ preference, are not inherently undervalued – but women that display these tendencies are less likely to reach senior positions. It’s likely that stereotypes about gender and leadership play a big part in this. 

“Yet the ‘Feeling’ preference contributes to an effective leadership style. A value-driven approach to decision making does play a pivotal role in shaping the culture of organisations.

“Much like any under-represented minority groups in the workplace, without representation in leadership positions to look to as role models, women of all personality types and all employee levels will continue to suffer – and so will the profitability of businesses. 

“A deep understanding of organisational culture and how it relates to individual employees is crucial to making progress with diversity. Leaders are especially important in this because they have the most influence in shaping and transmitting the ‘real’ culture which is not often aligned with ‘ideal’ culture,” concludes Hackston.  

About The Myers-Briggs Company 
In our fast-changing world, your edge lies in harnessing 100 percent of your talent – whether you’re at work, home, school, college, or anywhere in between. Your success and sense of fulfilment aren’t just about what you know and what you can do, they hinge on your relationships and interactions with others. The Myers-Briggs Company empowers individuals to be the best versions of themselves by enriching self-awareness and their understanding of others. We help organisations around the world improve teamwork and collaboration, develop inspirational leaders, foster diversity and solve their most complex people challenges. As a certified B Corp (and a registered California Benefit Corporation), The Myers-Briggs Company is a force for good. Our powerfully practical solutions are grounded in a deep understanding of the significant social and technological trends that affect people and organisations. With over 60 years in assessment development and publishing, and over 30 years of consultancy and training expertise, a global network of offices, partners and certified independent consultants in 115 countries, products in 29 languages, and experience working with 88 of the Fortune 100 companies, we’re ready to help you succeed.

   

Media Contacts:

Hiwot Wolde-Senbet, Flagship Consulting
Claire Nelson, Flagship Consulting
Natasha Cobby, Flagship Consulting
myers-briggs@flagshipconsulting.co.uk
+44 207 680 7104

Petra Merne
The Myers-Briggs Company
PMerne@themyersbriggs.com
+44 1865 404584