McKinsey and Lean-In
McKinsey partnered with Lean-In to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on diversity, equity, and inclusion of women in the workplace and the state of work more broadly.

A survey of more than 65,000 employees was conducted as well as interviews with women of diverse identities, including women of color, LGBTQ+ women, and women with disabilities.

Key findings include:
  • Women are more burned out than a year ago, and burnout is escalating much faster among women than men.
  • 42% of women say they have been often or almost always burned out in 2021, compared to 32% a year ago.
  • 1-in-3 women said they have considered downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce this year, compared to 1-in-4 who said this a few months into the pandemic.
  • More than 50% of women who are responsible for managing teams are often or almost always burned out, and almost 40% have considered leaving the workforce or downshifting their careers.
  • 32% of Black women who’ve spoken out against bias and discrimination at work report experiencing retaliation, compared to just 6% of white men.
  • It is critical that white allies actively confront bias and discrimination against women of color.
  • 77% of employees said they are allies to women of color, but there is a disconnect with supporting with words or actions. Only 21% have advocated for new opportunities for women of color, and only 10% have mentored or sponsored one or more women of color.
  • 38% of senior-level women said they mentor or sponsor at least one woman of color, compared to 26% of senior-level men.
David Dozier, Ph.D., San Diego State University; Bey-Ling Sha, Ph.D., APR, California State University – Fullerton; & Masako Okura, Columbus State University
In celebration of IPR's 65th Anniversary, we are looking back at past Public Relations Journal issues. This study was originally published in Volume 1 of the Journal in 2007.

Dr. David Dozier and colleagues examined the role of mid-career interruptions in the pay gap between men and women practitioners of public relations.

A survey of 2,405 respondents was conducted from July 7 to Sept. 4, 2004.

Key findings include:
  • Men's average annual salaries were 41% greater than salaries earned by women in public relations.
  • This difference in income remains after controlling for professional experience and the influence of having a baby.
  • A small number of women (7%) take mid-career leaves (a year or more) to have children.
  • These leaves do not account for the substantial differences in income between women and men.
  • Male respondents took longer leaves from the practice than women, although the difference was not statistically significant.

Microsoft analyzed the trends that will shape the future of a hybrid work world.

A survey of more than 30,000 people in 31 countries was conducted from Jan. 12 to 25, 2021.

Key findings include:
  • 61% of leaders say they are “thriving” right now, compared to 38% of respondents with no decision-making authority.
  • 41% of employees are considering leaving their current employer this year, and 46% say they’re likely to move because they can now work remotely.
  • 60% of Gen Z say they are merely "surviving" or "struggling" right now.
  • Gen Z specially reported difficulties "feeling engaged or excited about work," "getting a word in during meetings," and "bringing new ideas to the table."

This summary is provided by the IPR Organizational Communication Research Center.

Researchers examined how positive and negative team gossip influence members’ “social loafing” behavior and ultimately impact team performance. Social loafing refers to the tendency of a team member to be less engaged and devoted in collective work than they are in individual work.

A survey of 272 undergraduate students at a large public university in the U.S. was conducted. Study participants were arranged into 63 teams as part of a semester-long course team project. Data were collected at three points in time over the semester.

Key findings include:
  • Team gossip is not inherently beneficial or harmful, but whether it is positive or negative is a crucial factor that shapes its outcomes:
  • Positive gossip can increase team members’ favorable evaluations of team competence, thereby reducing their social loafing and ultimately improving team performance.
  • Negative gossip can undermine team performance indirectly by increasing social loafing behaviors at work.


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