University of Alabama Survey Finds Gender Gap in Perception of Leadership in Public Relations

The Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations at the University of Alabama has released a new report about leadership in the public relations field. Executives in the public relations field gave themselves good marks for leadership. But public relations employees gave their leaders a grade of C+. Overall job dissatisfaction in the industry increased compared to a similar survey conducted two years ago.

The survey found a significant gender gap in employee perception of the industry. The report found that “women’s perceptions of their lack of shared power in decision making, insufficient two-way communication, and devaluing of their opinions are reflected in lower levels of trust in the organization and its culture, less confidence in leaders and declining job engagement.

Bruce K. Berger, research director of the Plank Center at the University of Alabama notes that “if we identify the gaps and work to close them, we strengthen our profession’s leadership.”