Taller people tend to perform better at work, with some studies showing that they receive higher wages. This is particularly true for jobs that involve leadership roles.
In one study, researchers found that every inch above average height was associated with an extra $789 in earnings over a 30-year career. However, it is important to note that a person’s height shouldn’t be seen as the sole cause of their professional success.
Height Boosts Confidence
While some careers rely on physical stature for success, such as professional basketball or modeling, most other jobs depend more on talent, hard work and education. However, height does positively correlate with career success, and a study from the Journal of Applied Psychology found that the taller you are, the more likely you will be to earn more money. The study, which tracked over 8,500 people from adolescence to adulthood and recorded personal information, salaries and occupations, found that each inch of extra height added an average of $789 per year to your salary.
The greatest effect of height on earnings was in jobs requiring social interaction, such as sales and management positions. This may be because customers view tall salespeople as more commanding and authoritative than shorter ones, the study suggests. This height bias also appears to be stronger in men than women, the researchers add.
Although economists have long speculated about the link between height, height comparison, and earning power, the study’s authors aren’t sure why this happens. One theory is that taller people tend to be more confident, and this confidence translates into their ability to work with other people and solve problems. Another is that height influences how people perceive your level of competence, and this perception carries over into your success in the workplace.
Regardless of why this height bias exists, it’s important to note that while it does positively correlate with earnings, correlation does not mean causation. It’s also important to note that even if you are short, you can still have a successful career. It all comes down to your mindset and the skills you bring to the table.
It can be difficult to recognize and combat heightism in the workplace, especially because it’s an implicit bias that doesn’t fit our mental template of discrimination as a conscious act. But Kimhi believes that making it easier to track salary differences by including height in data could help change the way we think about this issue. “If we were to start publishing data on gender, race and height, companies might be more mindful of this bias, and that will be a good thing.” He says.
Height Increases Social Skills
Taller people often have better social skills and appear more confident, which may be a big reason why they tend to make more money than shorter workers. This is especially true in sales, where confidence and the ability to interact with clients are essential to success. The good news is that you can work on your social skills and emotional intelligence to improve your career performance.
While the social advantages of height have been observed for decades, it is difficult to pin down exactly why tall people do so well in many careers. One theory is that taller individuals are seen as more dominant, which can lead to higher wages and more promotions. In fact, previous research has found that individuals who are perceived as more dominant in dyadic interactions have a greater likelihood of earning a higher salary than those who are perceived as less dominant.
Another possibility is that taller individuals are viewed as more leadership-like and authoritative, which can also help them earn a higher salary. However, the data shows that the relationship between height and salary is not explained by either of these factors alone. Rather, the data suggests that the relationship between height and earnings is primarily a result of the timing of the adolescent growth spurt and its impact on human capital formation and subsequent wages.
In other words, individuals who reach their peak height during high school and participate in more positive social interactions, such as extracurricular activities, tend to have greater career success than those who do not. In addition, studies have shown that a person’s height is highly correlated with their involvement in productive activities and the type of job they hold.
Kimhi points out that many companies already collect and publish information about gender and race, so including data on height could be relatively straightforward for businesses. He believes that publishing data on height could help raise awareness about the problem and prompt companies to take action. However, he acknowledges that it would be challenging to change the way that people perceive and treat taller individuals in our society.
Height Increases Self-Esteem
When it comes to career success, height is often a key predictor. Tall people are more likely to be able to obtain jobs, have higher paying careers, and are more successful in leadership roles. This may be due to the fact that tall people are perceived as having greater competence and dominance than shorter people, which can lead to increased job performance.
In addition, studies have shown that being taller is associated with having a greater sense of self-worth and confidence. When people are confident, they are more able to handle challenging situations and can perform better on the job. This can be especially beneficial in high stakes, high stress situations such as interviews and job searches. In fact, one study found that women who are taller have significantly more confidence than their short counterparts.
Taller people are also more likely to pursue higher education, which can be a big contributing factor to their career success. In one study, researchers found that men who are 6′ 4″ or taller were twice as likely to get a bachelor’s degree than men who are 5′ 4″ or shorter. Another study found that taller women were more likely to have a master’s degree than shorter women. This may be because taller women are viewed as having more intelligence than their shorter counterparts.
Despite these positive effects, it’s important to remember that height is only a small part of what determines career success. Many factors are involved, including talent, hard work, education, and networking. Therefore, if you’re short, don’t let it discourage you from working hard and trying your best to achieve success in your career.
In addition, don’t forget to be proud of who you are – regardless of your height. If you focus on what you have to offer as a person, rather than how other people perceive you, you’ll be much happier and more successful. This is a lesson that taller people have learned the hard way – through the experience of living through many generations of prejudice and discrimination against their height.
Height Increases Self-Confidence
It’s well known that tall people earn more money than their shorter counterparts. A new study published in PLoS ONE has taken an in-depth look at the correlation between height and income and found that while the advantage exists, it’s not necessarily due to genetics. Rather, it could be the result of unintentional discrimination or other “hidden” qualities associated with being tall.
The researchers examined data from over 3,500 Chinese adults and their yearly incomes. They controlled for variables like age, gender, education, years of work and location. They also looked at a number of other characteristics that could affect career success, including personality traits, intelligence and social perceptions. What they found was that, regardless of other factors, every inch of extra height was correlated with an additional $1,000 in annual income. That means a person who is six feet tall would earn $166,000 more over the course of their lifetime than someone five feet seven inches.
These results are consistent with other studies that show a correlation between height and earnings, particularly in skilled occupations. In fact, a study from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that for men and women in professional positions each extra inch of height was associated with an additional $789 a year.
This is probably not surprising to most people, but it’s worth mentioning anyway: Taller people are happier than short people. Researchers have found that it has to do with the confidence and self-esteem that height bestows on people from an early age. Just like getting started in sports as a teenager correlates with higher chances of professional success, having a confident outlook on life as a youngster can increase your odds of happiness and career success later on.
Despite the many benefits of being tall, some people have difficulty accepting their height and suffer from a lack of self-confidence as a result. If you find yourself in this situation, it’s important to surround yourself with positive people who accept your height and help you feel happy about it. You can also consider seeking treatment such as leg lengthening surgery to boost your confidence and get the job you deserve.
