Study Finds Gossip Hurts Men's Workplace Image More

Researchers found men who gossip at work are seen as less competent and less qualified for leadership than women doing the same.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Remote Work

Study Finds Gossip Hurts Men's Workplace Image More

Live Poll

Do you think gossiping at work hurts a person's chances of advancing?

A study by researchers at the University of Iowa and the University of New Mexico found that workplace gossip lowers perceived competence, with men facing a steeper penalty than women. The findings come from observations of 272 undergraduate students and two online experiments involving roughly 450 U.S. workers.

Why it matters

The results point to a gender double standard in how gossip is judged at work, which can affect how men and women are evaluated for leadership roles. The researchers suggested the pattern may stem from gossip's historical association with women spreading rumors.

The study drew on 272 undergraduate students working in five-person teams plus roughly 450 U.S. workers across two online experiments, with gossiping men rated lower on competence than gossiping women. The extraction does not report the magnitude of the gap or whether results would hold in other workplace settings.

The players

Richard Branson

Richard Branson is the founder of the Virgin Group, a British business conglomerate known for its wide range of consumer brands.

Ray Dalio

Ray Dalio is the founder of Bridgewater Associates, one of the world's largest hedge funds, and has written widely on management principles.

Dave Ramsey

Dave Ramsey is an American personal finance author and radio host whose company, Ramsey Solutions, promotes its own workplace values.

The details

Researchers observed student teams working on a class project and ran two online experiments with workers, rating participants on perceived competence and leadership qualification after gossip behavior. Gossiping people received lower competence ratings across the studies, and the penalty was steeper for men.

The word gossip took on a more negative connotation around the 16th century, tied to women.
In 2012, Ray Dalio said people should not talk behind others' backs.
In 2024, Richard Branson said he will walk away when he hears gossip, and Dave Ramsey said he will fire employees for gossiping.
On November 6, 2026, Fortune published an article on the gender gossip penalty study.

Historical Context

Gossip took on a more negative connotation around the 16th century, a shift tied to women, and the new study suggests that association still shapes how men and women are judged for gossiping at work today.

Workers who gossip, whether men or women, may be rated lower on competence, and men may face a steeper penalty for the same behavior. Managers evaluating leadership candidates may want to consider how their own judgments of gossip could reflect this double standard.

The takeaway

Gossip can quietly shape how colleagues judge your competence, so keeping conversations about coworkers focused and constructive may protect your standing. The findings also suggest leaders should check whether they are holding men and women to different standards for the same behavior.