Billionaires Ray Dalio and Richard Branson hate workplace gossip—but men who do it could face a steeper career penalty than women, study finds
New research found that men who gossip are perceived as less competent and less qualified for leadership roles than women who engage in the same behavior.
Preston ForeFortune Crypto · November 6, 2026 · 2h agoBrief · 1 min read
A new study by researchers in Iowa and New Mexico finds that men who gossip at work are seen as less competent and less fit for leadership than women doing the same. Trevor Spoelma, who teaches management at Iowa's Tippie College, told Fortune that men are judged more harshly. Across three studies, including two online experiments with roughly 450 American workers, gossipers received lower competence ratings, and men took a bigger penalty. Spoelma linked the gap partly to history, since gossip grew more negative around the 16th century as it became tied to women. Men who gossip may seem to break traditional expectations, while women's gossip fits older stereotypes.
Why it matters: The findings suggest men may face a steeper career penalty than women for the same workplace behavior, shaping how colleagues judge leadership potential.
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