It’s a common assumption that more women are hired for roles requiring “social skills,” such as relationship-building or managing interpersonal tasks. These jobs — like nursing or teaching — are often seen as less prestigious or lower-paying compared to the roles men dominate. However, new research from Wharton management professor Peter Cappelli challenges this assumption and reveals a brighter picture: gender inequality in the U.S. economy is, encouragingly, improving. The research, published in the Human Resource Management journal, finds that American women do indeed hold more jobs requiring social skills. But here’s the rub: these roles come with a pay premium — sometimes even greater than for men in similar positions.
