Events

Prof. Maria Guadalupe
Professor of Economics
INSEAD

Workplaces across many industries are characterized by what is stereotypically called  “masculine” norms: i.e. highly competitive and aggressive norms, often portrayed as necessary to increase performance. Using rich survey and archival data from faculty and staff in business schools, we develop a novel way to measure these hyper-competitive norms norms and show that they are negatively correlated with employee well-being, both increasing turnover intentions and reducing workplace well-being. We then examine why these norms persist despite their negative consequences and find that the associated lower well-being is not offset by higher performance – neither in terms of research quantity nor impact. Finally, we show that no organizational subgroup thrives in hyper-competitive environments. While neither men nor women benefit from such norms, even “superstar” performers in the top performance deciles experience negative implications.