Support for part-time work as a channel to female employment: the moderating effects of national gender empowerment and labour market conditions

Abstract

Using a multi-source data set collected across eight European countries, this article examines how characteristics of both the organizational environment and the larger national context relate to the organizational-level variable of women's employment. Our study revealed that, in countries that were high in gender empowerment measure (GEM), establishments that were more supportive of part-time work options also employed a higher proportion of women. One reason for this relationship may be that in high-GEM countries offering part-time employment is a way for an organization to signal its support for work-life balance, something that makes it more attractive to women. In countries with low GEM, an establishment's greater support for part-time work was associated with employing a greater proportion of women only when establishments experienced recruitment difficulties. Key differences in gender empowerment between countries are discussed.

Employment Conditions in the Senegalese Horticultural Export Industry: A Worker Perspective

“…This is in line with a recent study by Stavrou et al. () who find that in European countries where gender empowerment is high the share of women who are part‐time employed is higher than in countries with low gender empowerment. However, we need to be cautious about our findings.…”

“…This implies that more empowered women prefer a flexible contract, probably because they want to be able to change jobs easily if better opportunities arise, or to adapt easily if the farm-household division of labour requires them to take up farm productive or household reproductive tasks. This is in line with a recent study by Stavrou et al (2015) who find that in European countries where gender empowerment is high the share of women who are part-time employed is higher than in countries with low gender empowerment. However, we need to be cautious about our findings.…”

The influence of images on organizational attractiveness: comparing Chinese, Russian and US companies in Germany

“…Due to prior historical discrimination, female applicants may be more sensitive to injustice than male applicants (Napier & Taylor, 2002). Thus, for women organizational justice and integration of minorities into work settings is more important (Stavrou, Casper, & Ierodiakonou, 2014). For instance, women are less attracted to companies with poor diversity programs than men are (Greening & Turban, 2000).…”

Work-to-family enrichment and gender inequalities in eight European countries

“…Furthermore, it is increasingly recognized that experiences of the work-family interface are context dependent and that national context, including public policies, norms and values are intersecting with organizational context (e.g. Beham et al, 2011Beham et al, , 2012Lyness and Judiesch, 2014;Ollier-Malaterre et al, 2013;Ruppanner and Huffman, 2014;Stavrou et al, 2015). Norms and values concerning gender equality are likely to be particularly significant in their impact on women's capacity to derive positive outcomes from their multiple roles (Powell et al, 2009).…”