Human resource devolution, decoupling and incoherence: how line managers manage gender equality reforms

Williamson, Sue; Colley, Linda; Foley, Meraiah

doi:10.1080/14719037.2019.1642951

Cited by 28 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 28 publications

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“…This decentralisation and agency discretion leads to policy differences between agencies, as well as considerable difference on implementation within each agency, although 2018 research identified a common theme or culture of resistance regardless of the type of policy. The recent history of managerial discretion and the resulting resistance and patchy take‐up rates for flexible working arrangements (Williamson et al., 2018; Williamson, Colley, & Foley, 2019), together with the reluctance exhibited during the pandemic, makes continued reluctance likely.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Will working from home become the ‘new normal’ in the public sector?

2020

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The COVID‐19 pandemic compelled large sections of the workforce out of their workplaces and into their homes to work. Many commentators suggest this has forever changed how and where we work. This article analyses how Australia's biggest employers – state and federal governments – approached the transitions to working from home, and back into regular workplaces. It considers the timing of policy responses to the pandemic as one indicator of resistance to, or acceptance of, widespread working from home. The article also demonstrates previous resistance to working from home for public servants, and questions widespread conjecture that it will become the ‘new normal’.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Will working from home become the ‘new normal’ in the public sector?

2020

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“…Perhaps the Review panel can be excused given the absence of a focus on women or gender equality in their ToR and a lack of attention in the public submissions. Nonetheless, the failure to integrate gender equality reforms into the APS Review reforms is likely to exacerbate the current lack of coherence in the reform context and HRM framework (Williamson, Colley, & Foley, ). The Gender Equality Strategy and its commitments are undermined without a focus on these commitments within the APS Review.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Public management reforms are not renowned for their attention to gender equality (Thomas & Davies, ). Further, the reforms in the Strategy and other APS reforms have not been aligned, which may give rise to potential tensions (Williamson, Colley, & Foley, ). For example, the Strategy was released around the same time as ‘Unlocking Potential’.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Review of the APS: Is gender really on anyone's agenda?

Colley

Williamson²

2019

Aust J Public Adm

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As recently as 2016, the Australian Government stated its commitment to increasing gender equality in the Australian Public Service (APS) workforce. In May 2018, the Prime Minister announced a broad‐ranging Review of the APS, but gender equality was not mentioned in the Review Terms of Reference. An interim Review report was released in March 2019, which was also largely silent on gender issues. We examine the submissions to the Review to assess whether, and how, organisations have considered gender equality. We found an almost universal gender blindness in submissions and conclude that this may have contributed to the Review panel ignoring gender equality issues in their interim report. We further conclude that without a focus on gender equality within the Review and ensuing reforms, the APS gender equality strategy is rendered merely symbolic. We recommend the Review implement gender mainstreaming to ensure gender equality can progress in the APS.

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“…One study examined managerial support for various HR practices that can progress gender equality and found few differences between male and female managers (Kitterød & Teigen, 2018). Other researchers have found that both male and female public sector managers possessed a high level of awareness and understanding of gender equality policies, although awareness about specific issues and how to implement measures varied (Donnelly, Parker, Douglas, Ravenswood, & Weatherall, 2018; Williamson, Colley, & Foley, 2020). Researchers have instead focused on resistance, as we next discuss.…”

Section: Middle Managers' Role In Progressing Gender Equalitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding, ownership, or resistance: Explaining persistent gender inequality in public services

Colley

Williamson

Foley

2020

Gender Work & Organization

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Gender inequality persists in the public services in many Organisation for Economic Co‐operation and Development countries, despite decades of policy and strategic initiatives designed to promote greater equality. Resistance to gender equality, characterized by opposition to change or support for the status quo, has emerged as one potential explanation for the disconnection between policies and outcomes. This article explores whether concepts of resistance assist to explain slow progress towards gender equality in our study of four Australian public sector jurisdictions, where we asked middle managers about their understanding of, and action towards, gender equality. We found that managers were committed to gender equality and held a general understanding of their jurisdiction's gender equality policies, but lacked a deeper understanding of how organizations and human resource practice are gendered, which impeded translating commitment into action. This resulted in various levels of resistance and an unwillingness or inability to operationalize policies and strategies. This indicates that public services have progressed from identifying the problem to not knowing how to operationalize solutions. Our research contributes to the resistance literature, showing the existence of the various forms of gender equality resistance, which can impede action. A further contribution is that our research did not find differences between the approaches of male and female managers in gender‐balanced organizations, with both equally aware of the policies but demonstrating similar levels and types of resistance.

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Human resource devolution, decoupling and incoherence: how line managers manage gender equality reforms

Cited by 28 publications

References 28 publications

Will working from home become the ‘new normal’ in the public sector?

Will working from home become the ‘new normal’ in the public sector?

The Review of the APS: Is gender really on anyone's agenda?

Understanding, ownership, or resistance: Explaining persistent gender inequality in public services

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