Stress and the female retail manager

Abstract

Examines the sources of stress associated with male and female retail managers, a sector recognised as being stressful and where women are more likely than in other occupational sectors to be managers. Self‐completed questionnaires were distributed to males and females at various levels of retail management. The findings confirmed the two research hypotheses: male and female managers reported similar job pressures, in particular from “work overload”, “time pressures and deadlines”, “staff shortages and turnover rates” and “long working hours”. Moreover, female retail managers were more likely than their male counterparts to suffer from additional pressures caused by sex discrimination and prejudice. The outcome of these stressors can contribute to organisational deficiency, ultimately damaging the reputation of the company. Retail companies that successfully tackle the issue of work‐related stress will be better equipped to cope with the price of change within the retail environment.