New York City Mayor Eric Adams faced criticism in early 2022 for suggesting that low-paid workers, like those in restaurants and retail, lacked academic skills and were not suited for higher positions.
Research from Singapore Management University points out that the Mayor’s comments reflect a common belief in public discussions. Many people easily assume that those in low-paid jobs don’t need skills or intelligence.
Low-paid perceptions
It might be surprising—or even shocking—to learn that around 53 million Americans, making up 44 percent of the workforce, are in low-paid jobs. They often struggle to afford basic needs like food and housing. Additionally, many restaurant workers rely on tips to make ends meet.
“The idea behind this research was just to understand the debate around increasing the minimum wage,” the researchers explain. “As in many countries around the world, despite seeing that people are living below the poverty line, organizational leaders continue to comply only with the minimum established compensation standards which have not been raised nationally in the US since 2009.”
The research, consisting of ten varied studies, engaged over 3,000 participants, including HR managers in the US and business owners in India. The participants also encompassed a nationally representative sample in the US and residents in crucial swing states, ensuring that the findings were reliable and applicable across different contexts.
Reliable findings
“The package of different studies is to ensure replicability and robustness across diverse contexts and populations to ensure that our effects are specific to the idea we’re talking about and not driven by other things,” the authors explain. “And to identify the underlying psychological mechanism that explains these effects.”
The researchers consistently discovered that individuals with a growth mindset were more inclined to support higher wages for low-income workers compared to those with a fixed mindset. Despite the highly politicized nature of this issue in the US, the pattern held true across the political spectrum and various social classes.
“Our findings suggest that anyone seeking to garner support for increasing low-wage workers’ wages might consider encouraging growth mindsets about intelligence,” the researchers conclude.
