Gender Inequalities in Earnings and Sociable Jobs

Abstract

An increasing proportion of the gender wage gap is a result of differences between workplaces, occupations, and organizations. Previous work shows that workers benefit when they match the behaviors and expectations of their workplace, and socializing with coworkers is an important facet of cultural fit. Women socialize with their coworkers less than men, and this may be both a cause and consequence of workplace gender inequalities. This study combines data from the American Time Use Survey and National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, 1979, to study the role of sociability in explaining workplace gender inequalities in earnings. It finds that sociable work worsens earnings inequalities both for parents and for women in male-dominated jobs, with both receiving a substantial earnings penalty to working in jobs with high levels of sociability. Differences in sociability are only partially explained by unequal care work responsibilities, and vary considerably with workplace context.