Barriers to Women's Upward Career Development: An Analysis of the Civil secretariat, Peshawar
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56220/uwjms.v9i2.286Keywords:
Women, Barriers, Career Advancement, Work-Life Balance, Gender StereotypesAbstract
Purpose: The focus of this research to understand how gender stereotypes and work life balance affect their opportunities for professional growth of females working in civil secretariat Peshawar.
Methodology: Data was collected through survey from female employees throughout five distinct government organizations. Barriers of upward career mobility was measured using the Indra and Tanusia (2013), 10 item scale which assess career advancement, organization policies and limitation managerial position. As for work life balance, it is measured using 8 items of the version of Kow et al. (2012). On the other hand, 06 item scale created by Mukulu (2012) were used to assess gender stereotypes. The 63 female public servants in Peshawar Civil secretariat were participated in this study.
Finding & Results: The results indicate that work–life balance and gender stereotypes significantly influence women’s upward career development. The model explains 60% of the variance, showing that these barriers are strong predictors of limited career progression among female employees. However, gender stereotypes emerged as the strongest predictor of career barriers, highlighting the persistent challenges faced by women in attaining leadership positions.
Conclusion/ Limitations & Future Research: The results suggest that promoting work life balance through flexible work arrangements, encouraging continuous education, and addressing gender biases in promotion processes could enhance female career advancement. Despite the valuable insights gained, the study acknowledges limitations such as its focus on the public sector, potential response bias, and the need for further research incorporating diverse socio-economic and cultural factors. Future research should explore comparative studies across different industries and evaluate the effectiveness of HR diversity programs in mitigating gender-based career advancement barriers.
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