1.

Proposed Research Title

Assessing the Impact of the Gender Equality in the Workplace.

2. Brief description of the research

The research aims to assess the impact of gender equality in the workplace. The paper will
focus on aspects that contribute to gender equality as well as those that hinder it. The study
will explore the implications that gender equality has on the different stakeholders within
organizations. Ultimately, the study will provide an in-depth understanding of the ways in
which gender equality may improve productivity, employee satisfaction and overall
workplace dynamics.

3. Background of the study

Gender equality in the workplace has increased significantly in recent years due to an
increase in the initiatives established to support it, however, there are still several issues and
factors that remain the opposite. Some examples may be seen in representation in leadership
positions, disparities in pay and career advancement opportunities. A study conducted by
Hunt, Prince, Dixon-Fyle, & Yee (2018), McKinsey & Company found that teams that had
greater gender diversity outperformed those with lesser by at least 21%. The companies and
teams with higher gender equality proved to be more profitable overtime. According to Syed
& Özbilgin (2020) The Office for National Statistics(ONS) in the UK recorded that the pay
gap was narrowing as it fell from 19.6% to 18.6%, however, the issue still exists and
continues to raise concerns as women still experience less pay even when performing the
same task as their male counterparts.

Chang & Milkman (2020) argue that the biases that exist within the workplace start at the
hiring process. The pair conducted and designed experiments whereby two candidates with
the same resume but with different names to make it clear that one was male and the other
female. One study revealed that science professors were more inclined to hire the males for
management positions as opposed to women. It is for this reason that Sarvaiya&Eweje (2016)
considers that Human Resources Management (HRM) play a crucial role in creating an
employee centric environment that will enable flexibility and diversity. However, one may
further argue that diversity should not be a box to be ticked but rather a chance for an
organization to pursue its social responsibility and to gain a competitive advantage (Becker,
2011).

The above shows that this research is not only beneficial for women but both genders and the
organizations that employ them. All stakeholders involved could benefit from initiatives that
increase gender equality. This research has the potential to contribute to the body of research
that already exists and add a perspective that is yet to be considered.

4. Research Problem/Objectives

The research objective is to examine and evaluate the impact on gender equality in the
workplace. The variables to be considered will be employee satisfaction and overall
productivity within the workplace. The research questions and hypothesis will be framed as
follows.

Research questions:

RQ1: What effects will gender equality initiatives have on employees’ satisfaction,
motivation, and overall well-being?
RQ2: What effects will gender equality initiatives have on career advancement and
representation in leadership for women?
RQ3: What is the impact of gender equality on an organization’s innovation and profitability?

Hypothesis:

H1: Employees in a gender-balanced work environment will experience higher levels of job
satisfaction, motivation and overall well-being compared to those in lesser gender-balanced
environment.
H2: Organizations that prioritize gender-balanced environments and gender equality
initiatives will experience long-term career advancement leading to greater representation of
women in leadership roles.
H3: Organizations that prioritize gender-balanced environments will experience greater
performance by means of productivity, innovation, and profits.
 5. Expected Output

The expected outcome of this research is to better understand the underlying issues that lead
to inequality as well as the benefits that are accessible to organizations should they make a
conscious effort to create diverse, gender-balanced workforces. A greater understanding of
the problem will allow for a more direct approach as to how to solve the problem. Should the
hypothesis be validated through this research, another expected outcome will be for it to help
management in their decision-making processes.

6. How do you plan to do your research?

The research carried out will require both qualitative and quantitative data. First, a review of
the existing literature will be established, followed by the collection of primary data. The data
will be collected via surveys and from a wide variety of employees across different
industries. The surveys will use a Likert scale and a few open-ended questions. The
independent variable will be the gender equality initiatives whilst employee satisfaction,
career advancement for women and the organizations performance indicators like
profitability.

Data processing will be done by use of SPSS, information obtained from Likert scale data
will be exported to SPSS, cleaned, and then analysed using descriptive statistics to determine
the means, modes, medians, maximum and minimum for each variable within the dataset.
Thereafter, a normality test will be conducted to determine whether the distribution is normal
or not. This will provide a deeper understanding of the dataset.

7. Literature Review Matrix

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE MATRIX

Required:
1. At least 10 scholarly journal articles must be reviewed and placed on this matrix.
2. Format shown in the sample below must be followed.
3. Articles reviewed for this matrix may be added to your expanded literature review later.
4. Only journal articles published within the last ten (10) years should be reviewed.

JOURNAL ARTICLE AND SUMMARY OF METHODOLOGY MANAGEMENT AREAS FOR

DATE FINDINGS USED IMPLICATIONS FUTURE
RESEARCH

Improving decisions that This journal provides a This paper gives an The study shows some of An area for future
affect gender equality in the wide a deeper overview of existing the ways in management research should
workplace. Organizational understanding of the issues and ways to solve may implement strategies focus on the
Dynamics(2020). issues that are being them. The authors to better their teams, initiatives and
faced in the workplace structured it by proving competitiveness, and activities that
today. The authors four effects bias has in overall productivity. On management may
bring in factors that the workplace as well as the other hand, it shows begin to utilise in the
further hinder diversity six strategies to combat the potential drawbacks workplace to achieve
in the workplace too. and alleviate such biases. that management might the benefits that exist
The discussion face should they not for the. As well as a
emphasizes was to consider a more gender- wider scope of
debias the decisions balanced workforce. implementation
that influence gender strategies.
equality in the
workplace and
concludes with the
effects this has on
businesses.

Gender equality and This paper examines The study looked at a The implications for More research
diversity in the workplace: the relationship large sample of management sit in their regarding the ways
A partnership between CSR between HRM and companies within New lack of understanding that in which HRM-CSR
and HRM (2016). CSR and the ways in Zealand by investigating HRM and CSR are to co- partnerships may
which this relationship their HRM to CSR exist to drive initiatives benefit a company’s
impacts. Gender relationships. 16 that increase gender bottom line.
equality in the companies across 10 equality.
workplace. It argues industries were examined
that CSR encourages by interviewing 30
the agenda of diversity, managers.
but HRM drives and
implements it.
Gender equality in the The paper focuses on Through an extensive Management can More research
workplace identifying the basis of literature review, the consider that connection regarding the
(April, 2015) gender equality and the author highlights the between the theories and different experiences
theories that align with different approaches that approaches expanded that women and men
it. It further explores exist and their connection upon to justify their face in the
the radical and liberal to gender equality. They implantation of gender workplace.
approaches that exist to then highlight a case focused initiatives.
alleviate workplace study which allows for
imbalances and the critical analysis and
studies which they discussion.
stand on.
Rethinking Gender Equality This paper looks at the An expansive review of Although management An area for future
in the Workplace (April, ways in which an the literature that may consider gender research would be
2017) individual’s surrounds the how the equality initiatives, it is further studies that
background like their legal system, and the still important to remain look at other belief
religion, impacts the Quran influence gender sensitive to the fact that systems and on a
way they see and equality initiatives. some individuals will country-by-country
interact with the always see things in a basis. As well as
opposite gender. certain way. Management ways to approach
will have to consider Gender equality
ways to improve gender based on certain
equality without religious beliefs of
degrading others in the that nation.
workplace.
Gender Equality The study looks at the The methods utilized The case study and An area of future
Management in modern trends pertaining to were an analysis, results of the study allow research would be
company management era legislation of gender synthesis, deduction, for management to the study of what
of globalization (2021). equality and anti- interviews, and recognize that observance policies to use in the
discriminatory questionnaires for the of gender equality recruitment process
frameworks. It research. A survey was initiatives and policies to allow for a fairer
analyses the principles completed in 2019 in a can lead to a competitive hiring process. As
and requirements large company within the advantage for well as employees
needed to address the machinery industry. organizations. perception of gender
systematic gender balanced
imbalances issues management.
faced by businesses.

8. References

Ali, F. (2015). Gender equality in the workplace.

ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
280559937_Gender_equality_in_the_workplace

Altawyan, ‫ ا‬.‫د‬. A. A. (2017). Rethinking Gender Equality in the Workplace.

ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
314238330_Rethinking_Gender_Equality_in_the_Workplace

Foley, M., & Cooper, R. (2021b). Workplace gender equality in the post-pandemic era:
Where to next? Journal of Industrial Relations, 63(4), 463–
476. https://doi.org/10.1177/00221856211035173

Chang, E. Y., & Milkman, K. L. (2020). Improving decisions that affect gender equality in
the workplace.
Organizational Dynamics, 49(1), 100709. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2019.03.002

Becker, W. S. (2011). Are you leading a socially responsible and sustainable human resource
function?
ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
233416439_Are_you_leading_a_socially_responsible_and_sustainable_human_resource_fun
ction/link/54efc30b0cf2432ba6571112/download

Hunt, V., Prince, S., Dixon-Fyle, S., & Yee, L. (2018). Delivering through Diversity Contents
Executive summary. In McKinsey.com (pp. 4–8). McKinsey & Company.
Retrieved from McKinsey & Company website:
https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/mckinsey/business%20functions/people%20and
%20organizational%20performance/our%20insights/delivering%20through%20diversity/
delivering-through-diversity_full-report.pdf.

Sarvaiya, H., & Eweje, G. (2016). Gender equality and diversity in the workplace: A
partnership between CSR and HRM.
ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
312125618_Gender_equality_and_diversity_in_the_workplace_A_partnership_between_CS
R_and_HRM

Sukalova, V. (2021). Gender equality management in modern company management in era

of globalization. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Gender-equality-management-in-
modern-company-in-era-Sukalova-Ceniga/88521d02c9e0c15f28d4d1731d17e57cc9c2bb13
Syed, J., & Ozbilgin, M. F. (2015b). Managing Diversity and Inclusion: An International
Perspective. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
295867578_Managing_Diversity_and_Inclusion_An_International_Perspective