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Perceptions of the workplace: Women in Massachusetts state government
Abstract
The study focuses on the perceptions of women who are managers in the Executive Branch of Massachusetts State Government. In particular, several formal and informal organizational systems that help or hinder the career advancement of women into upper level positions are explored. Three questions were addressed: (1) How do female managers gain familiarity with various aspects of the workplace such as organizational culture and access to resources? (2) What sorts of flexible work options and benefits would be particularly important or useful to career-oriented female managers? and (3) What steps do organizations take (or should organizations take) to insure the existence of and appreciation for workforce diversity and the equitable treatment of all employees? A representative sample of 500 research participants was randomly selected from the total population of women who are managers in the Executive Branch of Massachusetts State Government. A mailed questionnaire was distributed to each of the women in the sample. A return rate of 68 percent was achieved. Some of the highlights are: the research participants' view of their place of employment is regarded as cooperative, flexible, and empowering; the availability of supportive people is perceived as emanating from the workplace; and an informal source of information about their workplace is available. There was also evidence of a willingness to help, support, and mentor others, especially women, and a high degree of compliance and support of affirmative action and antiharassment policies by employees in their workplace. The data also indicated a need for: more women in top executive positions; a more systematic use of training to encourage professional growth and enhance career mobility; a more systematic use of and evaluation of flexible work options and support mechanisms; and a greater use of and refinement of male/female mentoring, role modeling, and support.
Subject Area
Management|Womens studies|Public administration
Recommended Citation
Eve, Laura Lee, "Perceptions of the workplace: Women in Massachusetts state government" (1990). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI9110131.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI9110131