A comparative analysis of the use of work‐life balance practices in Europe

PurposeThis paper explores the experiences of women in Saudi Arabia who have been managed by other women, and examines how junior women perceive senior women's role in advancing their career.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is based on qualitative data gathered using in-depth semi-structured interviews undertaken with 30 women working in Saudi public organisations.FindingsThis study's findings shows that the hierarchical relationships between women and their woman manager are complex due to a multifaceted web of contextual factors including sociocultural values, family values, religious beliefs and organisational cultures and structures. These factors shape the quality of relationships between senior women and their women subordinates. Also, this study reveals that there is solidarity and ‘sisterly’ relationship between women in the workplace that plays a role in facilitating women's career development and advancement. In addition, this study shows that despite senior women's having supported other women's career advancement, this support tended to be conditional and limited. This can have an influence on women-to-women work relationships, where such relationships can be described as being disconnected and fragile. Furthermore, the study depict that there is evidence of the existence of ‘Queen Bee’-like senior women who distance themselves from other women and block their career advancement. The Queen Bee phenomena can actually become a form of hierarchy that mimics the patriarchal structure and excludes women from serving at top management levels.Originality/valueThis paper provides an in-depth understanding of the hierarchical relationships between women in the workplace and how these relationships have an influence on women's career advancement. Therefore, the paper makes a valuable contribution to the scarce knowledge that currently exists within the field of management research in relation to women's career development – and the advancement of such research within the Arab Middle Eastern context. Also, the findings of this study could potentially inform practitioners and HR department personnel within organisations about the connections between women's hierarchical workplace relationships and women's career development and advancement.

[Introduction]: Women in Thailand have played an important role in contributing to the growth of the Thai economy. In a recent international study on women's empowerment across fifty-eight countries, Thailand ranked first in terms of economic participation but lagged behind with respect to gender equality (World Economic Forum, 2005). Despite women's high level of economic participation, women are less visible in the upper echelons of organisations. The findings suggest that women lack the opportunities to advance their careers. It has been assumed that intense economic growth over the previous two decades, legislative reforms and the influence of international organisations in promoting gender equality issues would create greater employment opportunities for women and remove the barriers to their career advancement. However, a review of official statistics indicates that women remain under-represented in management positions in both the private and public sectors. The obstacles to women's career advancement include not only discriminatory organisational practices (Col, Meksawan and Sopchokchai, 2001) but also cultural norms and social attitudes towards women (United Nations Development Programme, 2006a), which have not changed in pace with the legislative reforms. In recent years, along with trade unions, international organisations have played a key role in raising public awareness and increasing societal interest in gender equality issues in Thailand (Charoenloet, 2001). Women's advocacy groups, including professional women, have lobbied the government to focus on women workers (UNDP, 2006a). However, the progress towards gender equality has been slow. Women's influence in the decisions to promote gender issues in the workplace has been relatively limited. This is partly because women are under-represented in decision-making committees, the majority of which are dominated by men (Ativanichayapong, 2002; UNDP, 2006a). Furthermore, women are under-represented in management positions in organisations in Thailand (Yukongdi, 2006). At the national level, women need the means to make their 'voices' heard on these gender equality issues. An avenue to achieving this aim is to have a critical mass of women represented in the decisionmaking bodies in the local and national governments. Over the past decade, women managers in the private sector in Thailand have attracted greater attention among researchers, although studies are still relatively scarce. There is also a paucity of research undertaken to understand women's participation in senior positions in the public sector. Little is known regarding the issues and the challenges faced by women aspiring to senior positions in the civil service and, therefore, there is a need for more research to examine women's roles and status not only in the private sector but also in the public sector. The aims of this chapter are to examine the representation of women in management positions in the public and private sectors, their career progress and, more specifically, the cultural and social barriers to career advancement they encounter. The chapter discusses the influence of contextual factors on the progress of women in Thailand. This is followed by an overview of women's participation in the labour force, women's overall status and women's representation in management positions. Furthermore, two case studies of women in senior management positions illustrate how these outstanding women achieved success in their careers, as well as identifying the contributing factors and obstacles to their advancement. The chapter concludes with a discussion on the challenges and future prospects for women managers in Thailand.

Women's career advancement has still been a topic of interest in Sub-Sahara Africa. To meet women's professional development requirements and remain competitive, organisations must pay attention to what makes them thrive. Career development involves a series of stages that occur over time, characterised by diverse concerns, themes, and tasks. There is, therefore, the need to document efforts to develop women managers and professionals and get a better understanding of the factors that positively influence women's progress in organisations. This paper reviewed the socioeconomic factors that influence women's career advancement by analysing existing literature to identify factors that facilitate or hinder the advancement of women’s careers. These factors, including stereotyping, biases, preference for family and work-life balance, male-dominant cultures in firms, the glass ceiling effect, lack of training and development opportunities, and their exclusion from networking, are significant impediments to career advancement claimed by women. Other factors such as organisational and government policies, supportive work environment, top management commitment, organisational support system, mentoring, networking, training and development, and organisational culture contribute to women's career advancement. In addition, interventions such as women-specific counselling sessions are held to address work-life balance. Interventions that would contribute to women-specific career advance theories were also identified. The critical issues that emerge from the review about hurdles to women's career advancement and variables that promote their advancement have been highlighted in this study. It is clear that many women who advance to senior positions acknowledge the obstacles posed by attitudes, and stereotypes and tactics have to be put in place to overcome them.

PurposeThe paper focusses on the intrapersonal vs environmental barriers to women's career advancement to the top leadership positions in the information and communication technology (ICT) business and envisages the individual, organisational as well as societal practices for overcoming such barriers in the given sector.Design/methodology/approachThe study relies on the qualitative research method of expert interviews with top-level women managers in the leading ICT companies in Lithuania. The study allowed identifying and structuring the key barriers to women's careers and three-level practices for overcoming them.FindingsThe research has shown that the key intrapersonal barriers are related to the lack of self-confidence and perceived glass ceiling. The main environmental barriers are male domination and socially gendered professions. The practices for overcoming women's career barriers can be categorised into three levels – individual, organisational and societal. The study has shown that the most important individual practices are the ability to continuously self-educate and self-affirmation. On the organisational level, the following key practices can be applied: mentorship and inclusive company culture. The societal practices for improving women's career advancement in ICT are mainly represented by the visibility of successful leaders as role models and initiatives increasing awareness for an inclusive society.Research limitations/implicationsThe research limitations are largely related to the research sample selected for the qualitative research (interviews). The respondents are already established in the top leadership positions, so may only have a retrospective view on the obstacles to the respondents' careers. A larger sample could provide a more generalisable data, whilst a larger number of interview participants for preselected categories, like company category or tenure in a position, would provide insights on the different stages of career growth and company's influence for the individual's growth. The authors encourage extending research to other sectoral and national contexts.Practical implicationsThe research sets out the key barriers that can be overcome with the help of individual, organisational and societal practices. This provides a comprehensive list of practices that can be adopted by the organisations (in the ICT and beyond), as well as the policy makers on the societal level.Social implicationsAddressing the issues of gender balance and women's career advancement in one of the fastest growing industries (ICT) has profound social implications. Qualitative research has shown how the barriers can be overcome at different levels of the social system.Originality/valueThe paper marks one of the first attempts to introduce a three-level approach to addressing the intrapersonal and environmental barriers to the advancement of women's careers with a particular focus on the ICT sectoral context.

PurposeAlthough qualified women are entering professional and managerial ranks within organizations, they continue to have difficulties in advancing their careers. It has been suggested that the biggest obstacle to women's career advancement lies in the attitudes, biases and prejudices of their male colleagues and their organizational cultures. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship of perceptions of organizational bias among managerial and professional women and their work satisfactions and levels of psychological well‐being.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 215 women, a 67 percent response rate, using anonymously completed questionnaires. Respondents worked for a large Turkish bank that had offices in several cities.FindingsWomen reporting greater perceptions of bias indicated less job satisfaction, lower levels of work engagement and higher levels of job stress; perceptions of bias were not related to intentions to quit however. In addition, women reporting greater perceptions of organizational bias indicated higher levels of exhaustion but these perceptions were unrelated to levels of self‐reported psychosomatic symptoms. Interestingly, more educated women reported higher levels of perceived organizational bias.Research limitations/implicationsImplications for women's job performance and career advancement as well as suggestions for addressing potential gender bias are offered.Originality/valueThe paper adds to knowledge about the work and career experiences of women in Turkey and the challenges they face.

This paper reports on a case study of ten academic women in senior management positions in the higher education sector in Thailand. The study investigates women's perceptions of glass ceiling factors that impede women's career advancement. Issues addressed include: gendered management styles, family and childcare responsibilities, career plans and aspirations, married or single status, and age as a factor mediating women's career mobility. It is argued throughout that the western concept of glass ceiling cannot be taken as a universal explanation of women's career impediments. Rather, research on women's career tracks in higher education must take women's differences, their histories, and cultural locations into analytic account.

Objective: This research explores the existence of career women in Egypt from social, cultural, and economic perspectives. The study aims to understand the challenges and opportunities faced by women in the workforce, highlighting factors influencing their career progression. Theoretical framework: The theoretical framework is grounded in gender equality concepts, social role theory, and the influence of patriarchal culture on women's workforce participation. Literature Review: The literature review encompasses previous studies on gender discrimination, work-family dynamics, and inclusive policies supporting career women, particularly in Middle Eastern countries. Methods: A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative surveys with qualitative interviews. The survey involved 300 women, while in-depth interviews were conducted with 30 participants selected based on their diverse employment sectors and social backgrounds. This approach provided a comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced and opportunities available to career women in Egypt. Results: The results revealed that supportive workplace environments and family backing significantly enhance women's career advancement. Additionally, most participants emphasized the need for improved policies promoting gender equality in the workplace, including flexible work arrangements and access to professional training programs. Despite progress in women's participation across various sectors, barriers such as societal expectations, gender-based discrimination, and work-life balance challenges persist. Implications: The implications of this research underscore the importance of adopting gender-equality policies, cultural reforms, and empowering women through education and workforce training. This study provides a significant contribution to understanding the complexities surrounding women in Egypt’s workforce. Novelty: The novelty of this research lies in its integrated analysis of social, cultural, and economic factors, offering a holistic perspective on the experiences of career women in the country. It also highlights the need for a synergy between policy reforms and cultural shifts to create more inclusive work environments. In conclusion, while there has been progress in recognizing and supporting career women in Egypt, ongoing efforts are necessary to address existing gaps. These efforts should include progressive policies and cultural paradigm shifts to sustainably empower women and enhance their participation in the workforce.

PurposeDespite the significance of a gender-diverse workforce, there is a lack of comprehensive review of gender diversity and women's career advancement literature. Moreover, past literature focuses on women-on-board and other subsets based on outcomes like firm financial and non-financial performance, corporate social performance and board interlocks. The purpose of this study is to examine the research on gender diversity and women's career advancement through an analysis of 143 articles published during past decade. Theoretical frameworks, contexts and constructs-based contribution to scholarship were reviewed. The authors attempt to highlight key theories, constructs and contexts and provide direction for future research.Design/methodology/approachA comprehensive systematic literature review of 143 articles spanning January 2008–March 2023 about gender diversity and women’s career advancement was conducted.FindingsMajority of the past studies have focused on women on board and top management team, and most of them have been conducted in the context of the USA and China. There is no specific industry which has been covered extensively. Resource dependency, resource-based views and agency theories are the primary theoretical frameworks used in the past studies. Furthermore, these findings suggest the scope to further focus on women’s retention and career growth initiatives, especially at levels other than top levels, for a stronger leadership pipeline.Originality/valueThis study has been conducted with a focused analysis of the context, constructs and theoretical frameworks, enabling future researchers to decide how and where to focus, to now strengthen retention of women.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe a longitudinal study which followed up middle managers who had participated in a survey on attitudes to promotion eight years earlier. The aim was to contact a sample of these individuals to ascertain their current views on women's career advancement in management.Design/methodology/approachIn‐depth interviews were conducted with 30 interviewees (19 male and 11 female managers). Respondents were reminded of their initial response to the question “How long do you think it will take before women in this organisation fill 50 per cent of senior management positions?” Current views were recorded to ascertain if any attitudinal changes had occurred over the previous eight years.FindingsThe responses from this sample reflected a pessimistic change in views and were consistent with the view that gender stereotyping of the management role continues, influencing attitudes toward the appropriateness of women in senior management positions. The majority of these male and female managers now feel that it will take “more than ten years” before female managers fill 50 per cent of senior management positions, suggesting that some respondents do not believe they will see this outcome during their working life‐time.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations of the follow‐up study were the small sample that was available, highlighting some of the methodological difficulties involved in carrying out research of a longitudinal nature. The responses obtained suggested that gender stereotyping of the management role continues, exerting a negative influence on the career advancement of women. It was concluded that female talent is still not being utilised sufficiently in the ranks of senior management. Practical implications of such practices are noted.Originality/valueThis paper allows an examination of any attitude change that may have occurred in a small sample of managers who participated in an initial study in relation to predictions about the length of time it will now take for women to fill 50 per cent of senior management roles. Obviously, because of the small sample, it will not be possible to draw any generalizations from the results obtained, however it will be possible to observe the indicative trends, and these may suggest fruitful paths of exploration for future research.

[Introduction]: During the past decade Asia has experienced intense economic growth leading to a significant increase in demand for managers and professionals. In Asia, and particularly in East and South East Asia, women's participation rates in the labour force are ranked among the highest in the world (see ILO, 2007). Higher educational levels and falling fertility rates have contributed to women's increasing participation in the labour force. As women become more educated and qualified for managerial positions, the number of Asian women managers and executives is predicted to rise over the next decade. However, although several research studies pertaining to women in management were conducted during the 1990s, given the rapid changes in Asian workplaces over the past decade it may well be that much of what we know is outdated, irrelevant and based mainly on studies conducted in developed countries (Omar and Davidson, 2001). This book examines the opportunities and challenges for women managers in the Asian cultural context and presents an update on their progress in management. The influence of Asian cultures and religious traditions has been used to explain women's under-utilisation and under-representation in management (see Adler, 1993-1994; Omar and Davidson, 2001). One aim of this book is to examine such influences on organisational and management practices, and how these affect women in management in Asian economies. Some elements of management practices are universal whereas others, such as human resource (HR) practices, are more unique to a given context. Women have increasing opportunities and an increasing number of women have attained managerial positions. However, a review of women in management (Omar and Davidson, 2001) also found differences in experiences based on locality, and suggested that women in Asia might encounter greater challenges because of the culture and traditions of Asian societies. The Asian economies examined in this book have undergone rapid economic transfonnation. Much of what we know about women managers today is drawn from studies in developed countries: less is known of women in Asia and the specific barriers faced by women in Asian economies. In addition, the 'voice' of women managers remains to be heard, especially of those in Confucian and patriarchal societies such as many of those in Asia. In sum, there is a tension between more universal, 'best practice' -based, often Western management approaches and the more contingent, culturally nuanced practices that apply to and impact on women managers. This will emerge from the comparison across economies offered here. This chapter discusses the gender-organisation-system perspective, which is the theoretical framework adopted to explain the underrepresentation and under-utilisation of women in management. This is followed by an overview of women in the labour market, their educational levels and the proportion of women in managerial and professional positions. The chapter examines the factors that contribute to occupational gender segregation, earnings gaps between men and women, issues related to the balancing offamily and work life and the barriers to women's career advancement. The final sections discuss the influence of national culture, focusing particularly on Asian societies, and present an overview of the economies featured in this book.

As the under-representation of women in management positions continues to persist globally, little is known about the experiences of women in the healthcare sector in the context of the developing Middle Eastern nations. In an attempt to address this knowledge gap, the current study explores some of the barriers that hinder and the enablers that foster women's career advancement in the healthcare sector. To meet its objectives, the current study uses a relational approach that integrates the macro socio-cultural, meso-organisational, and micro-individual levels of analysis. Guided by institutional theory as a theoretical framework and social constructionism as a philosophical stance, the current study adopts a qualitative research methodology. It capitalizes on in-depth, semi-structured, face-to-face interviews with women managers in different occupational fields, across the managerial hierarchy in the healthcare sector in Lebanon. Snowballing and purposeful sampling procedures were used, and the interviews were analysed using thematic analysis, focusing on identifying new, emerging themes. The results of the study confirm the salience of discriminatory cultural values, gendered social roles and expectations in Middle Eastern societies, and illustrate their role as barriers hindering women's career advancement. The results also portray the spillover effect of societal expectations and cultural gender stereotypes into the organisational realm, resulting in widely experienced attitudinal and structural organisational barriers. This study also illustrates how the enablers that facilitate and promote women's career progression unfold amidst the interplay between the macro and meso factors, lending credence to the role of women's agency at the individual micro level. Amongst the toll of barriers, Middle Eastern women navigate the patriarchy of their cultures and the discrimination inherent in their organisations by using their agency and persistence as they construct and negotiate their careers in management. This study provides new knowledge on the status of Middle Eastern women in the healthcare sector, a sub-category of female employees that to date, is under-researched. It primarily highlights the role of agency in building women's careers. It also stresses the notion that the complexity of women's careers in the healthcare sector can be best understood using a relational approach that highlights the intersectionality between gender, agency, socio-cultural realities and organisational boundaries.

PurposeThe use of women's networks is emerging as one method of advancing women's careers within organizations. However, the value of these networks has been questioned. The purpose of this study is to examine how potential differences in the perceptions of network members and the firm's executive leadership about the purposes and anticipated outcomes of a women's network may impact women's career advancement.Design/methodology/approachThe authors interviewed 21 members of an intra‐firm women's network and six members of the executive leadership team of a global organization. To examine the qualitative data, they used a process of thematic analysis to discover prevalent themes in the transcribed interviews.FindingsBoth members of the women's network and the executive leadership team placed responsibility for women's career advancement upon the individual; the firm's male‐dominated culture and organizational constraints were not emphasized. While members of the women's network recognized how the network could be used to contribute to the firm's strategic goals, the executive leadership team did not recognize the network's possible effect on the firm's bottom line.Originality/valueExamines how potential differences in the perceptions of network members and the firm's executive leadership about the purposes and anticipated outcomes of a women's network may impact women's career advancement.

This study examines the concept of mentoring as a career-strategy tool in Greek organizations from a protégé's point of view and the effect of mentoring on women's career advancement. In particular, we hypothesize, first, that seeking mentoring is a multidimensional concept, consisting of a number of activities and behaviours interconnected in a career strategy scheme; second, that mentoring has a positive effect on career advancement; third, that organizational culture has a moderating effect in the relationship between mentoring and career advancement. The research was carried out in a sample of 297 women employed in Greek organizations. A series of factor and regression analyses were performed. The findings support our hypotheses and indicate the necessity for women to assume proactive behaviours in developing mentoring relationships in order to advance their careers; they also stress the role of the organization in creating a relationship-oriented organizational culture in order to facilitate women's mentorship.

The main objective of this study is to investigate the variables influencing the career development of female management personnel in Bangladesh's banking industry. The study was focused on four separate research goals: determining how management views women's career advancement; determining whether juggling work and family obligations has an impact on female employees' career advancement; examining the influence of bank policies and practises on women's career advancement; and developing a framework for the professional advancement of female employees in Bangladesh's banking industry. The research design adopted by the study was descriptive. Both primary and secondary data were gathered using survey questions and thorough literature reviews, respectively. SmartPLS 3.0 was used to analyse the information gathered. Following the study's findings, it was determined that the discussed criteria have an effect on how far female bankers can advance in their careers. Women must have strong female leadership, network development, and female role models if they are to advance in their careers across all industries, not just the banking industry. The study makes a contribution by outlining the significant challenges impacting the career advancement of female employees in Bangladesh's banking industry, which might be useful in developing policies that are supportive of female bankers. Additional research on this topic can focus on various industries, such as state-owned banks, the public sector, the business sector, educational institutions, and so forth. The current study would contribute towards the existing knowledge through the utilization of under study variables, theoretical framework, and geographical coverage in business and management studies. Keywords: Career progression, banking sector, female bankers, work life balance.

In the business world, women's employment careers have been a significant problem. It has been determined that a variety of factors influence women's career outcomes in organizational contexts. Thus, the study's goal was to examine how demographic variables affected Nepalese women's career advancement in commercial banks. The study's population was female employees in commercial banks who held supervisory positions or above. Samples of 319 women were collected for the research. A purposeful sampling technique was employed to get the respondents' responses. To analyze the influence of demographic characteristics on career development, descriptive as well as analytical research designs were utilized. Among the statistical methods used were the one-way ANOVA, independent t-test, mean, and percentage frequency. The results showed that factors influencing women's careers include age, income, and service year in addition to marital status, and designation. However, education did not affect women’s careers. The study's conclusions offer insightful information on the potential influence of demographic variables on the careers of females. The study's conclusions will be valuable to the existing literatures related to how demographic elements affects carrers of women. Additionally, supports organizations in focusing on creating rules that suit their unique set of circumstances.