Women in the workforce

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 92-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosanne L. Hartman ◽  
Emily G. Barber

Purpose While women perform as well as their male counterparts at work, women are drastically underrepresented in the onboarding process to senior leadership. The link between occupational self-efficacy and the role it may play in how men and women make decisions about work has not been done. The purpose of this study is to examine potential differences of occupational self-efficacy, career aspirations and work engagement between women and men. Design/methodology/approach Online surveys were created and sent out as emails and on social network sites including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. Findings Findings indicate that occupational self-efficacy has positive effect on career aspirations of women in the workplace. Further, there was no statistically significant difference between occupational self-efficacy and work engagement between men and women. However, men were found to have statistically significantly higher career aspirations than women do. Research limitations/implications While men and women do not differ in occupational self-efficacy or work engagement, men do have higher career aspirations than women do. Although women may believe they can accomplish challenging tasks in the workplace, it does not mean this belief is acted upon. Practical implications The study highlights the importance of occupational self-efficacy and its relation to career aspirations. Individuals who are high in occupational self-efficacy may set their own path in advancing within their career. However, individuals who are low or moderate in occupational self-efficacy may require further encouragement and development using additional resources as a catalyst for advancement guidance. While no differences were found between men and women in occupational self-efficacy, human resource practitioners should develop those individuals who are low or moderate in occupational self-efficacy with coaching, training and/or mentoring to build leadership capacity, increase self-efficacy and career-planning acumen. Social implications Men and women behave differently when seeking career advancement and in their career aspirations. For men, advancement is linked to performance whereas women use a multi-pronged approach focusing on preparing for career success and building role competency. Differences in strategy for advancement mean men will actively engage in behaviors to advance even when they do not have the knowledge or experience to perform in the new role. Conversely, women seek to feel competent in a work role prior to seeking it out. Finding ways to mentor women toward higher self-efficacy for their next career advancement will benefit organizations overall. Originality/value Research examining the role of occupational self-efficacy and its relation to career aspirations does not exist in comparing men and women.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Naseer Abbas Khan ◽  
Ali Nawaz Khan

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the impact of abusive supervision on employees' voice in China's construction industry. Moreover, the authors explore the mediating role of ethics-related self-efficacy and work engagement and the moderating influence of psychological climate in explaining the association between abusive supervision and employee voice behavior.Design/methodology/approachThis study used data in pairs collected from 402 supervisors and employees of construction companies in Anhui, China. In this study, the authors used the time-lag approach to collect data in three-time waves from different respondents. A structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was applied to test the hypothesized model.FindingsThe results of this study indicate that there is a significant association between abusive supervision and employee voice. Moreover, the results indicated that work engagement mediated the association between abusive supervision and employees' voice. In contrast, self-efficacy did not mediate the link between abusive supervision and employee voice. Furthermore, results also show that the contingent effect of psychological climate significantly influences the mediating effect of work engagement.Originality/valueThis study also has implications for the construction industry, allowing managers to create a favorable working atmosphere in which employees can reinforce their voices at work.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Guangning Zhang ◽  
Yingmei Wang

Purpose This study aims to investigate the effect of organizational identification to employees’ innovative behavior, the mediating role of work engagement and the moderating role of creative self-efficacy in the relationship between organizational identification and employees’ innovative behavior. Design/methodology/approach This study adopted questionnaires to gather data. The sample of 289 employees working in diverse organizations in China was applied to examine the hypotheses. Findings The results indicates that organizational identification is positively related to employees’ innovative behavior and work engagement mediates the relationship between organizational identification and employees’ innovative behavior. In addition, creative self-efficacy enhances the relationship of work engagement and employees’ innovative behavior. Originality/value This study builds a system from psychological aspect to behavior, which includes the effect of individual cognition to explain the mechanism of organizational identification on employees’ innovative behavior.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Abaasi Musenze ◽  
Thomas Sifuna Mayende ◽  
Abbey Kalenzi ◽  
Rehema Namono

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship of the interaction effect of perceived organizational support (POS) and self-efficacy (SE) with work engagement (WE) within the primary education industry.Design/methodology/approachThe paper relies on structural equation modeling (SEM) with AMOS (V.22) to test and resolve the conditional hypothesis that fusion of POS and SE is necessary for WE.FindingsThe scale of effect of POS on WE depends on SE; hence, the assumption of nonadditivity is achieved. Precisely, the interaction of POS and SE is necessary for WE.Research limitations/implicationsThe study was based on a single research methodological approach, namely quantitative research methodology, which could have been affected the outcome of this investigation. Future studies could investigate WE interaction model through qualitative lens in order to provide a triangulation opportunity. Moreover, the findings from the current study are cross-sectional, and data were collected at a snapshot. Therefore, future research should consider the multiplicative effects studied in this paper across time.Practical implicationsAttempts to heighten WE levels, among government primary school teachers in Uganda, would require that management regularly ventures into finding a more practical and feasible fusion of POS with SE in order to provide significant levels of WE among employees of primary education industry.Originality/valueThis is the first study that tests the interactive effects of POS and SE on WE in Uganda's primary education industry.


2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 715-730
Author(s):  
Ikhlas Abdalla ◽  
Awad Al-Zufairi

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine how leadership aspiration mediates the effect of career self-efficacy on employees' engagement in career self-management (CSM; i.e. deployment of career advancement strategies concerning access to power, psychological boundaryless and self-promotion), whether self-efficacy directly influences CSM, and whether these relations are conditional upon nationality (which is a proxy for domestic and international careers in Kuwait).Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire was completed by 615 highly educated young Kuwaitis and self-initiated expatriates (SIEs; Arab and South Asian nationals) working in Kuwait.FindingsThe results demonstrate that self-efficacy, directly and indirectly (mediated by leadership aspiration), influences the three types of career advancement strategies. Moderated-mediation analyses suggest that SIEs and Kuwaitis engage in similar CSM behaviors when it is motivated by self-efficacy, which is mediated by leadership aspiration. Also, self-efficacy has greater direct effect on SIEs' CSM than Kuwaitis', but Kuwaitis have higher tendency for CSM behavior.Practical implicationsInterventions aiming to improve employees' engagement in CSM may focus on enhancing their psychological capital and contexts, while minding the differential effects of nationality and self-efficacy on CSM of Kuwaitis and SIEs.Originality/valueThe study provides unique information about CSM utilizing understudied populations namely, Middle-Eastern and self-initiated expatriate employees. It confirms the effects of self-efficacy and leadership aspiration on CSM and reveals different effects of nationality depending on the motivators at play.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 468-484
Author(s):  
Gbolahan Gbadamosi ◽  
Carl Evans ◽  
Mark Richardson ◽  
Yos Chanthana

PurposeBuilding on the self-efficacy theory and self-theories, the purpose of this paper is to investigate students working part-time whilst pursuing full-time higher education in Cambodia. It explores individuals’ part-time working activities, career aspirations and self-efficacy.Design/methodology/approachData were collected in a cross-sectional survey of 850 business and social sciences degree students, with 199 (23.4 per cent) usable responses, of which 129 (65.2 per cent of the sample) indicated they currently have a job.FindingsMultiple regression analysis confirmed part-time work as a significant predictor of self-efficacy. There was a positive recognition of the value of part-time work, particularly in informing career aspirations. Female students were significantly more positive about part-time work, demonstrating significantly higher career aspirations than males. Results also suggest that students recognise the value that work experience hold in identifying future career directions and securing the first graduate position.Practical implicationsThere are potential implications for approaches to curriculum design and learning, teaching and assessment for universities. There are also clear opportunities to integrate work-based and work-related learning experience into the curriculum and facilitate greater collaboration between higher education institutions and employers in Cambodia.Social implicationsThere are implications for recruitment practices amongst organisations seeking to maximise the benefits derived from an increasingly highly educated workforce, including skills acquisition and development, and self-efficacy.Originality/valueIt investigates the importance of income derived from part-time working to full-time university students in a developing South-East Asian country (Cambodia), where poverty levels and the need to contribute to family income potentially predominate the decision to work while studying.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Abaasi Musenze ◽  
Thomas Sifuna Mayende ◽  
Ahmed Jowalie Wampande ◽  
Joseph Kasango ◽  
Ongario Ronald Emojong

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between perceived organizational support (POS) and work engagement and the mediating effect of self-efficacy on the POS–work engagement relationship.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire survey was developed and distributed to a sample of primary school teachers drawn from the education industry.FindingsAnalysis of the data supports a strong positive relationship between the extent of POS and work engagement. This study also found that self-efficacy mediated the relationship between POS and work engagement.Research limitations/implicationsThis study has important implications for managers. First, it motivates managers, by providing justification for provision of support to employees for increased engagement at work. Based on the results of this study, POS is associated with enhanced work engagement levels. Second, evidence from this study illustrates to the organization the importance of developing an environment of support to further enhance work engagement. When employees do not acknowledge and feel supported from their respective organizations, work engagement levels may be sub-optimal. This research is limited, as the data were collected at one point of time, and this has implications for employees and organizations.Originality/valueThere is increasing recognition of the importance of POS in enhanced work engagement levels. Within this context, no previous research has empirically examined the mediating effect of self-efficacy on the relationship between POS and work engagement in the setting of primary education sector.


2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 2-21
Author(s):  
Manjiri Kunte ◽  
Parisa Rungruang

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to test the hypothesized relationships between job demands, job resources and personal resources toward work engagement, by utilizing a cross section of Thai employees.Design/methodology/approachIn this study, a group of employees (n=416) responded to a set of self-report surveys on job demands, job resources, personal resources and work engagement.FindingsThe results of the hierarchical regression analysis supported the relationships between job demands (i.e. workload and role conflict), job resources, personal resources (self-efficacy) and work engagement. In addition, the results supported the role of (positive) self-esteem as moderator in the role ambiguity and work engagement relationship, and the role of self-efficacy in buffering the effect of role conflict and workload on work engagement. The final model explained 43 percent of the variance in the dependent variable.Research limitations/implicationsThis study will help managers in understanding employee expectations and providing appropriate feedback. Devising effective jobs, which lead to perceptions of meaningfulness, safety and availability leading to improved engagement.Originality/valueThis is the first study employing the job demands resources model in a cross-sectional study in Thailand.


2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 525-541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abubakar Idris Hassan ◽  
Mohd Nazri Baharom ◽  
Rozita Abdul Mutalib

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the social capital factors of career advancement of female academic staff in Nigerian universities. Design/methodology/approach A measurement and structural analysis were conducted for the three independent variables and a dependent variable on 20 public universities. Data were collected using a structured self-administered questionnaire. The dependent variable was female academic staff career advancement and the independent variables were mentoring, networking and government machinery. Using stratified random sampling, 532 academic staff were selected as the study respondents. They represented sampling criteria such as federal and state universities. Findings Structural modeling analysis showed that social capital variables, specifically mentoring, networking and government machinery variables, were significant contributors to the career advancement of the female academic staff in Nigerian universities. Practical implications This study creates an insight into the knowledge of career advancement among female academic staff in public universities. These institutions dominate the university system in Nigeria and serve as the main avenue for university education in the country. At the level of higher institution, HRD is significant, particularly in creating awareness among academic staff about their career planning and aspirations, the role that the perceived environmental factors play in their advancement to higher positions in the university and how they should further utilize those factors. Originality/value The paper examines social capital factors (limited to mentoring, networking and government machinery) that are of concern to managing the career advancement of female academic staff in public universities.


2018 ◽  
Vol 31 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Cziraki ◽  
Emily Read ◽  
Heather K. Spence Laschinger ◽  
Carol Wong

Purpose This paper aims to test a model examining precursors and outcomes of nurses’ leadership self-efficacy, and their aspirations to management positions. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey of 727 registered nurses across Canada was conducted. Structural equation modelling using Mplus was used to analyse the data. Findings Results supported the hypothesized model: χ2(312) = 949.393; CFI = 0.927; TLI = 0.919; RMSEA = 0.053 (0.049-0.057); SRMR 0.044. Skill development opportunities (ß = 0.20), temporary management roles (ß = 0.12) and informal mentoring (ß = 0.11) were significantly related to nurses’ leadership self-efficacy, which significantly influenced motivation to lead (ß = 0.77) and leadership career aspirations (ß = 0.23). Motivation to lead was significantly related to leadership career aspirations (ß = 0.50). Practical implications Nurses’ leadership self-efficacy is an important determinant of their motivation and intention to pursue a leadership career. Results suggest that nurses’ leadership self-efficacy can be influenced by providing opportunities for leadership mastery experiences and mentorship support. Leadership succession planning should include strategies to enhance nurses’ leadership self-efficacy and increase front-line nurses’ interest in leadership roles. Originality value With an aging nurse leader workforce, it is important to understand factors influencing nurses’ leadership aspirations to develop and sustain nursing leadership capacity. This research study makes an important contribution to the nursing literature by showing that nurses’ leadership self-efficacy appears to be an important determinant of their motivation to lead and desire to pursue a career as a nurse leader.


2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chiara Consiglio ◽  
Laura Borgogni ◽  
Cristina Di Tecco ◽  
Wilmar B. Schaufeli

Purpose – Work engagement represents an important aspect of employee well-being and performance and has been related to both job and personal resources. The purpose of this paper, based on Social Cognitive Theory, is to emphasize the proactive role of self-efficacy which is hypothesized to predict work engagement, not only directly, but also indirectly through positive changes in employee’s perceptions of social context (PoSC); namely, perceptions of one’s immediate supervisor, colleagues and top management. Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 741 employees of a communication service company completed two questionnaires, with a time interval of three years. Structural equation modeling was performed in order to test the hypothesized model. Findings – Results revealed that, as expected: first, initial self-efficacy predicts work engagement three years later; and second, positive changes in employee’s perceptions of the social work context across the three year period, mediates the relationship between self-efficacy and work engagement. Research limitations/implications – Results relied only upon self-report data. Moreover, each variable was only measured at the time in which it was hypothesized by the conceptual model. Practical implications – The significant role of self-efficacy as a direct and indirect predictor of work engagement suggests the development of training programs centered on the main sources of self-efficacy, specifically focussed on the social work domain. Originality/value – This research provides evidence of the substantial contribution of self-efficacy to work engagement over time. Moreover, the results also support the beneficial effects of self-efficacy through its influence on the improvements in the individuals’ perceptions of their social context.


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