Men and women are happier in single sex offices because they are more comfortable without the other gender around, a new study claims.
Researchers found a higher level of contentment for men if they did not have to ‘walk on eggshells’ around women, while women were happier when not dealing with a 'testosterone-fulled atmosphere.'
But the study revealed that, although they might prefer single sex offices, workers are actually more productive when they share their workplace with the other gender.
Dr Sara Ellison, a senior economics lecturer at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who co-authored the study, said: ‘We all think that we want to be in this pluralistic society in a diverse setting.
‘But when push comes to shove, when our co-workers don’t think like we do, that can cause some friction.
‘[Workers] liked the idea of diversity more than they liked actual diversity’.
The researchers looked at a US employee survey from an unnamed Boston professional services company carried out between 1995 and 2002.
MORE THAN HALF OF WOMEN BULLIED AT WORK, STUDY CLAIMS
More than half of women are bullied or harassed at work - often by members of their own sex, a major poll has revealed.
Based on interviews with nearly 23,000 women and more than 2,000 men, the survey is the largest of its kind in the UK.
It revealed that the biggest enemy facing women in the office or other workplace is often other women, rather than their male colleagues.
Women who had been bullied by a member of their own sex said they felt they may have been targeted because their senior colleague felt threatened by their abilities.
The firm had 60 offices around the world, some of which were men-only, and some were women-only.
The survey measured cooperation, trust and work enjoyment, and the researchers cross-checked the data with figures on company revenue and diversity.
Overall, single sex offices reported being happier, but there was a twist when it came to company profits.
The researchers found that if single sex offices had been mixed sex then revenue would have gone up by about 41 per cent.
Dr Anne Litwin, a Boston organisational development consultant, said that she was not surprised by the findings.
She said men in particular found it harder with women around because they had to watch what they say, and that 'they feel like their equilibrium is being thrown off, and it’s uncomfortable.
Dr Litwin added that women by contrast ‘feel like they have to be assertive to be heard, and then they get accused of being the "B" word. They get told that they’re hard to work with.’
However, the research challenges the theory that happier workers are more productive.
