Job Concessions, Role Conflict and Work Satisfaction in Gender-Typical and -Atypical Occupation: The Case of Israel

Abstract

Studies in the last decades show that perception of role conflict has changed in advanced societies so that (1) multiple roles may be beneficial rather than conflictual and (2) men, too, are subject to incompatible role demands. This study examines whether the same shift may be observed in a less developed society (Israel), and how perceptions of role combination and work satisfaction influence the work concessions made by women and men who work in occupations that are typical or atypical for their gender. The main assumption is that multiple roles lead to role conflict only if individuals fail to make concessions that allow them to regulate time and energy in both spheres. The findings show that women still make more concessions than men; work satisfactions strengthens the perception that combining family and work is possible; and only for women, the perception that combining family and work is possible reduces the number of concessions they make.Keywords Job concessions Á Role conflict and role enhancement Á Work satisfaction Á Occupational sex segregation For many years, the desire to combine family and work was described as leading to role conflict in most research literature as well as in popular discourse [e.g., 16, 17, 60]. This conflict, it was argued, mainly afflicts working mothers who must allocate scarce resources--like time and energy--to fulfill both family and work obligations [44,45]. However, social changes in the last decades have shown that (1) multiple roles may be beneficial rather than conflictual [6,64], especially when the individual reports high levels of work satisfaction [52]; and (2) Men, too, are subject

Gender Variations of Physiological and Psychological Strain Amongst Police Officers

“…However, females who gain promotion are much less likely to be married or have children, in relation to males in the same position [38]. Moore [61,62] points out that women working in male-typed occupations find that family obligations create the major source of role conflict, due to the general inflexibility of the job. Working mothers have lower incomes and report lower levels of work satisfaction [31] both of which increase stress levels.…”