The Management Implications of Women's Employment Disadvantage in a Female-Dominated Profession: A Study of NHS Nursing

Abstract

Current explanations of gender inequality in paid employment fall into two broad groups. Firstly, there are theorists who argue that the actions and strategies of managers maintain and perpetuate unequal outcomes for women in the labour market. Secondly, there are theorists who argue that women’s lower commitment to work determines their job choices and outcomes. A survey of 643 qualified female NHS nurses examines both approaches. We argue that recognizing not only the existence of gender-based disadvantage but also its sources are important in devising effective managerial policies and initiatives. Also, conventionally less attention has been given to patterns of individual disadvantage for employees within workforces dominated by members of the same gender. Employment disadvantage is shown to exist in the single gender workforce, as in the more general case, but its operation is subtler and more difficult for managers to detect. This suggests a number of important management implications: a clear need for diagnosing potential patterns of disadvantage which may be relatively covert; the need to recognize the imperative for monitoring employment equity beyond regulatory compliance; the need for the implementation of effective strategy; and managers’ need to evaluate the adequacy of not simply equal opportunities policies, but the broader issue of long-term career planning.