1.

Introduction

Womans in our yearss choose to acquire educated and pursue callings. To make this most of them have to larn to cover with double functions ; the function of the employee and the function of mother/wife. The bulk of them have managed to travel from working at the traditionally female businesss ( such as instructors and nurses ) to male-dominated countries such as directors and applied scientists ( Atwater and van Fleet 1997 ; Chater and Gaster 1995 ; Krambia-Kapardi 2006 ) . Furthermore. gender equality is a cardinal rule for democratic states ; adult females and work forces should take part as peers in the societal. cultural and economic life.

Even though betterments have been made. gender equality is still non achieved as work forces and adult females are non represented and are non treated every bit in the workplace. Unfortunately. the increasing figure of working adult females did non convey equal calling promotion chances. Gender issues in the workplace arise from differences in the manner work forces and adult females are treated. Womans are non treated by the organisations the same manner as work forces do. something that holds adult females back from progressing the managerial ladder. It is a fact that adult females are underrepresented in top managerial places compared with adult females keeping lower and mid-level direction places ( Mihail 2006 ) .

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M. P. Michailidis et Al.

Downloaded by [ La Trobe University ] at 02:53 19 September 2013 Women face legion obstructions for their calling promotion and frequently. welleducated adult females. with many old ages of experience are non promoted at the same rate as their male colleagues of the same occupational degree. Womans have to work twice every bit difficult as their male co-workers to accomplish acknowledgment ( Wirth 2001 ) . Harmonizing to Eagly and Carli ( 2007 ) . Hymowitz ( 2005 ) . Wirth ( 2001 ) . Rhode ( 2003 ) . Duehr and Bono ( 2006 ) . Hymowitz ( 2005 ) and Dimakis.
Krambia-Kapardi and Savva ( 2006 ) . some of the controversial issues that adult females face in the workplace are gender favoritism. glass ceiling. stereotypes. work– life balance. deficiency of mentoring. con?icting functions and pay inequality. These are considered barriers that prevent adult females from obtaining work equality and moreover accomplishing top managerial places. 1. 1. Gender favoritism

Harmonizing to Wirth ( 2001 ) . a big figure of adult females enter the work force at similar degrees as their male opposite numbers ; nevertheless. their callings progress more easy than their male co-workers. Quite frequently they are more quali?ed than their male opposite numbers but have to work harder and execute much better to obtain top places. The favoritism acts toward adult females can take assorted signifiers ; they are frequently treated below the belt at the recruiting and publicity procedures and the wage policies.

In add-on. there is a general perceptual experience that adult females are non committed to work as they have or will hold household and kids ( Hymowitz 2005 ) . Furthermore. since this survey took topographic point in Cyprus it is deserving adverting that the Cyprus Government has ever been interested in advancing equality among work forces and adult females and societal and economic actions were implemented. The attempts began at the terminal of the seventiess. as portion of the Strategic Development Plans. and aimed at the creative activity of legal model that prevents gender favoritism. support work– household balance and heighten the socioeconomic life of adult females populating and working in Cyprus. In an attempt to harmonise with the European Union the Equal Treatment of Men and Women in Employment and Vocational Training Law. No. 205 ( I ) /2002 was implemented by the Cyprus Democracy.

1. 2. Stereotypes
Stereotypes are based entirely on perceptual experiences and ‘gender stereotypes in?uence beliefs. behaviours and self-concepts at both witting and unconscious levels’ ( Rhode 2003. p. 7 ) . Percepts that women’s topographic point is in the house taking attention of her hubby and kids has been stalking adult females for many centuries. In recent old ages. companies are enrolling an increasing Numberss of adult females but unluckily most of them are non promoted as they should and are left at lower and in-between degree ranks ( Ntermanakis. as cited by Mihail 2006 ) .

Schein. Mueller. Lituchy and Liu ( 1996 ) reported the being of a psychological barrier for women’s promotion ; the ‘think director –think male’ perceptual experience. Harmonizing to Nichols ( 1994 ) . the belief is that managerial places require masculine features and so adult females are non cut out for this type of occupation. A research conducted in Cyprus sing the perceptual experiences of immature people in Cyprus ( Intercollege’s Research Center 2007 ) gives several positive results related to comparatively low degrees of genders stereotypes. Of the people asked. 73. 4 % disagreed with the statement that adult females should remain at place while work forces should be the exclusive money suppliers. Another of import point is that 58. 9 % believe that work forces and adult females can be every bit good directors. and that adult females should have the same wagess with their male opposite numbers ( 81. 1 % ) . A recent survey by Duehr and Bono ( 2006 ) reported that ‘stereotypes about adult females may be changing’ . Male

The International Journal of Human Resource Management directors seem to be qualifying adult females as less inactive and submissive and more con?dent. ambitious. analytical and self-asserting. Male directors have merely learned that they are expected to see work forces and adult females likewise at work. Womans are besides being stereotyped because they become female parents. Hymowitz ( 2005 ) mentioned that one of the grounds why adult females are non taken earnestly in the workplace is because at some point in their calling they will hold kids and they will non be every bit devoted to work as they should and they will non be willing to work those long hours needed.

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1. 3.

Glass ceiling

The figure of adult females working at managerial places is turning. Even though the figure of adult females in lower and mid-level direction places is greater than of all time. the per centum of adult females keeping top managerial places is disproportionably low ( Atwater and van Fleet 1997 ) . Women seem to be banned from executive places due to the ‘glass ceiling’ consequence. which describes the unseeable arti?cial barriers. created by attitudinal and organisational biass. which block adult females from top executive places ( Wirth 2001 ) . Harmonizing to Wirth ( 2001 ) . adult females. although they are good educated. are pushed into a narrow scope of businesss. where there is less duty. lower wage and few chances for promotion. Some of them manage to mount the corporate ladder and achieve in-between degree places but the unseeable barriers prevent them from achieving top managerial occupations. Toussiant ( 2010 ) described the history of the glass ceiling in America. As it talks about how adult females were invariably confronting favoritism from male-dominated society. This is accomplished by discoursing how everything from assorted tribunal instances to the ERA would hold an impact upon these positions.

Krambia-Kapardi ( 2006 ) examined the being of the ‘glass ceiling’ consequence in Cyprus by looking at women’s engagement in commissions and the chances for being promoted in executive places. the research states that although adult females participate in assorted commissions. the per centum participating is limited and there has been no signi?cant betterment the past 6 old ages. To depict the current state of affairs in Cyprus the author states that ‘there is no glass ceiling in take parting commissions. but a concrete wall and it takes a batch of attempt to interrupt through that wall’ . When it comes to the being of glass ceiling in executive places. adult females hold 12 % of these places in the private sector and 37 % in the populace sector.

Research workers tried to place the barriers that prevent adult females from progressing to higher managerial places. Some of the barriers mentioned were deficiency of self-con?dence. avoiding hazard taking because of fright of failure and puting low ends ( Krambia-Kapardi 2006 ) . Another term relevant to the glass ceiling is the ‘maternal wall’ . which refers to the barriers that adult females face when they get pregnant as male colleagues and directors assume that one time a adult female has a babe she will non be committed to her calling ( Swiss 1996 ) .

1. 4.

Balancing work and household

Womans today have multiple functions and are torn between demanding callings and intensive household lives. These con?icting functions require a great sum of clip and energy. and rather frequently adult females do non cognize how to cover with this issue.

‘Work– life balance is a province where an single manages existent or possible con?ict between different demands on his or her clip and energy in a manner that satis?es his or her demands for wellbeing and self-ful?llment’ ( Clutterbuck 2003. p. 8 ) . The elements that

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M. P. Michailidis et Al.

in?uence this type of con?ict. harmonizing to Parasuraman and Simmers ( 2001 ) . is the employee’s gender. type of employment ( freelance or organisational employed ) . work function features and force per unit areas ( such as how much liberty is available in the workplace. clip ?exibility. degree of occupation engagement and clip committedness to the work itself ) and household function features and force per unit areas ( such as parental demands. degree of household engagement and clip committedness to household ) . Gladen ( 2007 ) discussed how adult females have more challenges in being able to equilibrate their work and personal life. Where. the bulk of adult females will hold: a sense of guilt. scheduling con?icts and seting to two different universes. Furthermore. to assist working adult females. companies can implement assorted family-friendly policies. which can do it much easier for them to unite paid occupations with household work. This can be achieved by offering ?exible on the job hours ( lasting or impermanent ) . working from place and the creative activity of child care installations in work. Organizations besides need to guarantee that employees who seek impermanent on the job adjustments do non pay a lasting monetary value ( Rhode 2003 ) .

1. 5. Mentoring/role models/networking
The deficiency of mentoring. societal networking and function theoretical accounts are doing promotion of working adult females harder. Women really often are non given high visibleness assignments or disputing undertakings. Besides. often they are excluded from selling and societal events that result in professional chances. Furthermore. they are non helped in their calling patterned advance. therefore they are far off from leading places ( Nossel and Westfall. as citied by Rhode 2003 ) .

1. 5. 1. Mentoring
Mentoring plans aim at assisting participants go successful in the workplace. A wise man gives advices for the mute company’s regulations. provides information for company policies and determination devising. give recommendations on how to avoid explosive state of affairss. and information about who is aligned to whom. Furthermore. a wise man provides ? ?

calling and psychosocial support to heighten mentee/protege’s-junior co-worker. professional and personal development ( Swiss 1996 ; Apospori et Al. 2006 ) . To be more effectual. mentoring should be incorporated with preparation and development and sequence planning. Thompson ( 2010 ) foreground how mentoring plans can assist adult females to turn to the assorted issues of inequality in the workplace. The job is that the bulk of employers do non offer any sort of mentoring plans to female employees. As merely 28 % of adult females are describing that their employers have some sort of mentoring plan. out of this figure 52 % of adult females felt that their employers lacked transparence and apprehension when turn toing this issue ( Thompson 2010 ) .

Furthermore. barriers adult females come across when seeking for wise mans are that male mentor’s are reluctance to take on the mentoring function. this might be due to fear that the relationship might be misinterpreted. Besides. the scarceness of female wise mans makes it more dif?cult for adult females to hold entree to a wise man ( Apospori et al. 2006 ) . 1. 5. 2. Role theoretical accounts

‘Role theoretical accounts are frequently said to be cardinal to the successful development of immature draw a bead oning managers’ ( Singh. Vinnicombe and James 2006. p. 67 ) . Harmonizing to
Shapiro et Al. ( as citied by Singh et Al. 2006 ) . function theoretical accounts are persons whose manner. action and traits are

The International Journal of Human Resource Management imitated by others. It is besides believed that function theoretical accounts are of import for all female employees irrespective degree and age. but particular attending must be given to freshly employed females ( Swiss 1996 ) . Unfortunately. the little figure of adult females keeping executive place limits the figure of function theoretical accounts for immature female employees.

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1. 5. 3.

Networking

Networking is viewed by Vinnicombe and Colwill ( 1995 ) as citied by Singh et Al. ( 2006 ) as the ‘banding together’ of persons who think likewise. for fulfilling their contact. friendly relationship and support demands. Furthermore. Forret and Dougherty ( 2004 ) elaborated on the issue of networking and stated that these are efforts made by people to develop relationships with persons who have the possible to help them work- or careerwise. Furthermore. Allison ( 2007 ) and Singh et Al. ( 2006 ) refer to networking in footings of the differences of the attacks work forces and adult females use. Work forces are on a ‘mission’ when go toing a concern networking event. seeking to run into people who will assist them for professional promotion. whereas adult females believe that this attack is ‘pushy’ and prefer go toing workshops or conferences where they can portion thoughts and usage networking for societal support.

1. 6.

Pay spread

Gender wage inequality is systematically and widely observed. Assorted societal and economic causes contribute to the long-established gender wage spread. and much attempt has been made to explicate the grounds for the discriminatory pay disparities. The article titled. Its Time for Working Women to Earn Equal Pay ( 2007 ) . negotiations about the huge disparities that are happening every bit far as wage and compensation are concerned. Where. adult females will gain signi?cantly less in comparing with their male opposite numbers for the same sum of work. Harmonizing to a survey that was conducted by the WAGE Now Project. they found that the huge disparities in wage equality are between $ 750 1000 and $ 2 million over the class of life-time ( Its Time for Working Women to Earn Equal Pay 2007 ) . Wallace ( 2010 ) discusses the issues that adult females will confront in the workplace from: the glass ceiling to overall issues of favoritism. In most industries. this means that adult females are gaining $ . 80 cents for every dollar that is made by work forces.

This information is of import. because it can be used to confirm other beginnings about issues of the glass ceiling and equal wage in the workplace. Engage favoritism as Joshi and Paci ( 1998 ) explained means that one group is paid consistently less than others with ‘equal productivity-related characteristics’ . The wage disparities between the two sexes have been ascribed to the narrow figure of adult females keeping top managerial degrees of organisations. which means they are rewarded with higher wage rates ( Alkadry and Tower 2006 ) . The article that was written by Childress ( 2010 ) negotiations about: how assorted statute law has been created to cover with the issue of inequality in the workplace ( the Glass Ceiling Commission ) . As they were created as portion of the Civil Rights Act of 1991 and was designed to cover with the issue of favoritism in the workplace. However. the committee was ne’er successful. because there was non any sort of understanding among members about how to efficaciously undertake this issue.

This is of import because it highlights the implicit in challenges that are invariably being faced when seeking to set up some sort of processs for turn toing gender inequality. As a consequence. the information from this beginning is utile. because it is demoing how assorted regulative failures have contributed to state of affairss of inequality bing.

M. P. Michailidis et Al.

The Cyprus authorities enforced The Equal Remuneration of Men and Women in Employment and Vocational Training Law. No. 177 ( I ) /2002 to guarantee the equal wage of both sexes for work of equal value. The Equal Remuneration of Men and Women in Employment provinces that work forces and adult females employees receive the same degree of ?nancial or non-?nancial wagess. for the same type of work or for work of equal value. Polachek and Xiang ( 2006 ) analyzed information from 40 states. including Cyprus. between the old ages 1970 and 2002 on how the gender pay spread varies in relation to the birthrate rate. the age spread between the hubby and married woman. and the female educational accomplishments.

The information collected indicated that the fact the adult females have the chief duty for the family and the kids. as a consequence female employees have less occupation experience and preparation. On the other manus. work forces are the chief money victors of the household and therefore working for more old ages. with no calling interruptions and therefore more experience and chances for vocational preparation. All these lead to gender wage spread. Despite the fact that assorted attempts are being made by authoritiess to accomplish pay equality. gender wage spread still exist since adult females are paid less than work forces for comparable places ( Rhode 1997 ; Sallop and Kirby 2007 ) . Even though adult females have tantamount accomplishments to work forces. nevertheless they are non paid with the same wage rate. Researches believe that possibly the pick of calling might be a ground for the gender wage spread. Alkadry and Tower ( 2006 ) reported that even though adult females have started get the better ofing some of the barriers for progressing to higher places. pay disparities still persist and as a consequence adult females are rewarded with less money in comparing to their male co-workers.

2.
2. 1.

Methodology
Purpose of the survey

This survey aimed at: ( 1 ) placing the factors that working adult females in Cyprus are faced with which lead to see favoritism ; ( 2 ) analyzing possible barriers that affect women’s promotion ; and ( 3 ) placing organisational patterns that assist them in accomplishing work– life balance.

2. 2.

The questionnaire

The informations were collected by the distribution of a six-page questionnaire. which was on a voluntary. anon. and con?dential footing and targeted four occupational degrees: below ?rst line. ?rst line. in-between and high-ranking direction adult females. employees of organisations in Cyprus. The questionnaire was prepared by the research workers and was divided into two subdivisions. Section A coved the demographic informations of adult females take parting in the research and in Section B the inquiries referred to women’s personal experiences. sentiments or ideas related to the workplace.

2. 2. 1. Section A: biographical information
In this subdivision. the participants’ had to react to inquiries related to: age. matrimonial position. figure of kids. educational degree. work place. employment sector. type of organisation. occupation rubric and figure of old ages in the current occupation. 2. 2. 2. Section B was composed of ?ve parts. which are described below: Part I had eight ‘yes’ or ‘no’ inquiries. here. the participants had to react to inquiries related to sing any signifier of work favoritism. gender favoritism.

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The International Journal of Human Resource Management favoritism during engaging. publicity or calling promotion chances.
and favoritism related to ?nancial and non-?nancial wagess between work forces and adult females. Part II had four inquiries ; here. the respondents were asked whether gender is a factor that can restrict publicities. compensations. entree to clients and entree to preparation. The answers were based on a Likert-type graduated table of 1 –3 ( I do non cognize. Not much and Very much ) .

Part III had ?ve inquiries inquiring women’s sentiment on several statements sing the manner adult females and work forces are treated in their organisations. such as equal intervention among work forces and adult females. equal chances for promotion. childbirth and calling committedness. The participants had the option of taking one of the undermentioned Likerttype graduated table responses: I strongly agree. I tend to hold. Undecided. I tend to differ and I strongly disagree.

Part IV had a set of 21 statements. which asked the participants to rate on a Likert-type graduated table from 1 to 5 assorted possible barriers that prevent women’s calling promotion. In add-on. there was one inquiry inquiring the participants to add any other factors that were non mentioned in the old statements but were considered as a barrier for women’s promotion. The 21st inquiry was an open-ended inquiry on other organisational patterns that were non mentioned in the 20 statements. Part V had nine inquiries inquiring adult females to rate the importance of assorted organisational patterns that can assist women’s calling promotion and development. For evaluation the ?rst eight inquiries in this portion. the Likert-type graduated table was used with the following graduated table: Not helpful. Slightly helpful. Quite helpful and Very helpful. One inquiry asked the participants to add other organisational patterns that could be utile to women’s calling promotion and development.

2. 3.

Statistical analysis

The statistical analysis was prepared with the usage of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences ( SPSS ) . The statistical tabular matters included descriptive statistics and crosstabs aimed at analyzing the statistical signi?cance of a
comparing between women’s occupational degree and ( a ) inquiries related to equal intervention ( Part III ) and besides ( B ) inquiries related to organisational patterns which would help the participants in developing and progressing women’s callings ( Part IV ) .

2. 4.

Sample

The questionnaires were distributed indiscriminately to 250 adult females working in assorted private. public and semi-public companies. The distribution and aggregation of the questionnaires was done either through the Human Resources/Personnel Departments. A sum of 154 questionnaires were used for the survey. giving a response rate of 62 % . 3. Consequences and treatment

3. 1. Biographical information
3. 1. 1.

Section A

This research concentrated on 154 adult females respondents. ages 22– 57. From the sample 61. 7 % of the participants were married and 59. 1 % had kids. Sing the educational degree of the participants 22. 7 % were high school alumnuss ; 20. 1 % had a college sheepskin ; 24. 7 % had a Bachelor’s grade ; 30. 5 % had a Master’s

M. P. Michailidis et Al.

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grade ; and merely 1. 9 % had a Doctoral grade. Of the sample. 47. 4 % stated that their place at work was in the ?rst line managerial degree and 15. 6 % belonged to the in-between direction degree ; 5. 2 % held top direction places.
while the remainder 31. 8 % held places below ?rst line direction. The consequences showed that the bulk of adult females are trapped between the ?rst and in-between line managerial degrees. Merely 8 out of 154 adult females who participated in the research had top direction places. a figure which is non really positive for the calling promotion chances of adult females.

3. 1. 2. Section B
3. 1. 2. 1. Part I. Here. the participants responded to inquiries related to work favoritism. In the inquiry whether they experienced any signifier of favoritism in the workplace because they were female. 87. 7 % replied that they had non experienced any signifier of favoritism ; 89. 6 % replied that they had non felt that they had missed a publicity or their publicity had been delayed because of their gender ; 81. 8 % stated that male colleagues of similar responsibilities did non have higher wage than them ; and 86. 4 % replied that they had non experienced differential intervention in the recruiting procedure because of their gender.

Interestingly though. one of the remarks made for this inquiry was that at a occupation interview a participant was asked whether she was engaged to be married or was be aftering to acquire engaged shortly. Her reply was negative and after she was hired she learned that adult females with kids were rejected as they would non be every bit ‘committed’ as they should be. Furthermore. 80. 5 % stated that they had non experienced any differential intervention in calling chances ; 90. 3 % replied that male and female employees of the same managerial degree receive the same pecuniary wagess. Continuing on. 87. 7 % of the participants do non believe that adult females receive less non-?nancial wagess that their male co-workers. Last. 81. 2 % of the participants do non believe that at some point of their calling they were non appointed for a occupation because of their gender. Some favoritism acts that adult females had experienced and were mentioned in the open-ended inquiries are

‘Women receive lower wage than men’ .
‘Males are treated with more respect’ .
‘Another adult male took my place because I was a woman’ .
‘Negative attitudes by male co-workers toward women’ .
‘I was non assigned on an of import undertaking because of my gender’ . ‘I was told that holding a babe would impact my occupation and I was non hired’ .

3. 1. 2. 2. Part II. Here. the participants responded to inquiries related to their gender as a restricting factor in workplace. As respects publicities. 69. 5 % responded that gender does bound ( but at the non much degree ) publicities. Furthermore. sing compensation. 67. 5 % replied that their gender does restrict the compensation ( but at the non much degree ) . In add-on. every bit far as entree to clients is concerned. 71. 4 % believe that gender does restrict entree to clients ( but at the non much degree ) . Last. in analyzing entree to preparation and development plans. one time once more the bulk. 73. 4 % feels that gender is an component that limits entree to preparation ( but at the non much degree ) .

3. 1. 2. 3. Part III. In this portion. the participants were asked to rate their grade of understanding on several statements. In the statement whether adult females in managerial places are as

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The International Journal of Human Resource Management capable as work forces at similar places. the bulk of the participants ( 97. 4 % . 150 adult females ) think that adult females directors are every bit capable as male directors. Furthermore. when asked whether adult females and work forces are treated every bit in their organisation. 79. 9 % of the participants have non felt that they were treated otherwise at the workplace due to their gender. In add-on. when asked whether at the company where they work. adult females and work forces are given equal chances for promotion to higher places. 77. 3 % believed that adult females receive the same chances for promotion in the organisation they work for. Furthermore. in the statement on whether adult females have to execute better than their male co-workers to be promoted to the same place. 42. 2 % feel that for a adult female to be promoted she must work twice every bit difficult as a adult male would. Last. when looking at childbearing. on the statement ‘once a adult female has a kid. she is considered to be less committed to her career’ . half of the respondents ( 50. 7 % ) agree that there is a perceptual experience that working female parents are non committed to their callings as they should be.

3. 1. 2. 4. Part IV. This portion the participants had to rate on a Likert-type graduated table from 1 to 5 assorted possible barriers that prevent women’s calling promotion. The inquiries mensurating the extent to which ‘women’s low degree of self-con?dence’ is a barrier to their calling promotion. 69. 5 % of the participants agreed with the statement that the low degree of self-con?dence adult females have is a barrier to their calling promotion. When questioned about the extent of ‘working hours facilitate parenting’ and if they are considered a barrier to women’s calling promotion. the answers received indicated that adult females would desire to hold ?exible on the job hours that will help them with their child care duties. speci?cally. 68. 2 % think that working hours do non ease parenting.

Furthermore. when analyzing the extent of ‘absence of equal calling development chances for women’ . and whether it is considered a barrier to women’s calling promotion. 55. 2 % see the absence of equal calling development chances for adult females as a barrier for their promotion in the workplace. In add-on. the statement ‘to what extent insuf?cient adult females function theoretical accounts in higher organisational degrees. is a barrier to women’s calling advancement’ . 56. 5 % of the participants stated that holding female function theoretical accounts in higher organisational degrees would assist them develop ; hence. the non-existence of those function theoretical accounts is a barrier for their calling development. To the statement ‘to what extent. a non-supportive partner. is a barrier to women’s calling advancement’ appears that holding a supporting partner is a factor that can be really helpful for working adult females as 68. 2 % of the participants feel that non holding aid at place from their spouse would be a barrier for their calling.

When asked about ‘company’s deficiency of committedness to gender advancement’ is a barrier to women’s calling promotion. 57. 8 % of the respondents believe that the failure of an organisation to be committed to gender promotion is a barrier for their calling development. Further on. when asked about the extent to which ‘male domination in senior organisational positions’ is a barrier to women’s calling promotion. 63. 7 % of the participants consider that senior organisational places are dominated by male employees something that prevents adult females from progressing to higher places. In add-on. when asked about the extent ‘company’s deficiency of ability to implement and implement anti-discriminatory and equality legislation’ is a barrier to women’s calling promotion. 62. 3 % of the respondents feel that companies do non implement anti-discriminatory statute law and this is a barrier for their calling promotion. Besides. when asked about the ‘tendency for organisations to delegate male employees on high visibleness projects’ and whether this is a barrier to women’s calling promotion. 120 of the participants ( a per centum of 78 % )

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M. P. Michailidis et Al.

believe that male employees are assigned on high visibleness undertakings go forthing female employees behind and such a pattern sets barriers for women’s promotion. The statement looking at the extent to which ‘perceptions that adult females may finally go forth work one time they have a family’ is a barrier to women’s calling promotion. 61. 7 % agreed that the perceptual experience that adult females may finally go forth work one time they have a household is a barrier for their calling as this affects the manner adult females are treated in the workplace and cut down the chances given to them. Continuing on. looking at the statement analyzing the extent to which ‘women’s con?icting functions between work and family’ is a barrier to women’s calling promotion? It appears that the con?icting functions between work and household are considered by the bulk of the participants ( 62. 3 % ) as a barrier for their calling promotion. When
asked to rate the extent to which ‘women’s duties for childcare’ is a barrier to women’s calling promotion. 66. 2 % agreed that since adult females have the exclusive duty of child care. this is a barrier for their calling promotion. Besides. when asked to rate the extent to which ‘career interruptions for childbearing. kid raising and other household obligations’ is a barrier to women’s calling promotion. 66. 9 % believed that calling interruptions for childbearing and child raising are a barrier for women’s promotion. Furthermore. when mensurating the extent to which ‘perceptions that work forces make better directors than women’ is a barrier to women’s calling promotion. 63. 7 % of the participants stated agreed. In the inquiry inquiring adult females to province whether they believe at the being of the glass ceiling. 54. 6 % stated that they did see these unseeable streamers which are a barrier for their promotion. 16. 2 % do non believe at the being of those barriers. whilst 29. 2 % were open. And when asked to province to what extent ‘stereotypes sing women’s functions in society’ is a barrier to women’s calling promotion. 53. 9 % believe that stereotypes about adult females is a barrier for them every bit frequently adult females are considered weak. sensitive and that they should non be working.

Other barriers that prevent women’s promotion in the workplace and were non mentioned in the inquiries above were the followers:
‘Women are judged by their appearance’ .
‘Face and organic structure is what they look at’ .
‘Lack of familiarities in comparing to male acquaintances’ .

3. 1. 2. 5. Separate V. In this portion. there were several inquiries inquiring adult females to rate how of import assorted organisational patterns were considered in assisting adult females in their calling promotion and development. One was on ‘mentorship programs’ . 70. 8 % stated that it would be helpful for their promotion if they received mentoring. Further on. the inquiry related to ‘managerial plans which identify and develop women’s potential’ . 86. 3 % of the participants reported ?nding managerial plans that would place and develop women’s potency as helpful. Equally far as ‘programs that would assist adult females equilibrate their work and household lives’ . 93. 5 % believe that they would be helped by plans that provide aid to adult females on how to equilibrate work
and household lives.

These consequences show that adult females feel that they can non equilibrate work and household duties and possibly they need some aid on how to accomplish it. The inquiry related to ‘on-site child care facilities’ . participants replied about nem con ( 93. 5 % ) that it would be really helpful to them if their kids could go to an on-site child care installation. In add-on. every bit far as ‘refresher classs when re-entering the workforce’ . the bulk of the participants ( 78. 6 % ) agreed that it would be really helpful if adult females received bracing classs when

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The International Journal of Human Resource Management

re-entering the work force after a calling interruption. The inquiry ‘offering ?exible working hours’ is considered as an of import factor for the promotion and development of adult females as 93. 5 % agreed that it would be helpful if they could set up the hours they would be working harmonizing to the duties they have at place. Continuing on every bit far as the inquiry on ‘women function theoretical accounts in the highest degrees of the organization’ . 85. 1 % agreed that holding adult females function theoretical accounts in the highest degrees of the organisation would be really helpful for the callings. Last. 100 % of the respondents showed understanding on the statement. ‘helping adult females to broaden their professional experiences’ . This unanimity indicates that adult females do non experience that they receive aid from the companies they are working and see it to be a immense barrier for their calling development. The participants were asked to add any other organisational patterns that were non mentioned but are considered of import for working adult females. The remarks made were the followers:

‘Educating and ever giving upgraded information to immature adult females through organized seminars and events’ .
‘Allowing work to be done at place. this will give work chances to adult females with families’ .

3. 1. 2. 6. Part VI. An analysis of the trial of signi?cance – Crosstabs was besides performed. This tested to analyze the differences between the followers: Current place at work: ( 1 ) merely below ?rst line direction. ( 2 ) ?rst line direction. ( 3 ) middle direction and ( 4 ) top direction and:

Part ( A ) . ?ve inquiries. which referred to the grade of understanding on a ?ve-point Likert-type graduated table. every bit far as the: work capableness of adult females compared with work forces ; equal intervention of work forces and adult females in the workplace ; equal chances for promotion ; women’s public presentation and publicities ; and household committedness one time adult females have kids and

Part ( B ) . eight inquiries. which referred to the grade of helpfulness of several organisational patterns which contribute to their calling promotion. looking at: mentorship plans ; managerial plans that help adult females place and develop their possible ; plans that would assist them equilibrate work and household ; the on-site child care installations ; refreshers classs for the rejoinder ; ?exible on the job hours ; adult females function theoretical accounts in the highest degrees of organisations ; and plans assisting adult females to broaden their professional experience.

Refering Part ( A ) there were signi?cant differences when analyzing Chi-square at the 0. 01 degree of signi?cance with the undermentioned three inquiries: The inquiry. ‘I believe that adult females in managerial places are every bit capable as work forces at similar positions’ . indicated signi?cant differences between the classs below ?rst line direction. ?rst line direction. in-between direction and top direction. Women belonging to below ?rst line direction class. ?rst line direction and in-between direction tend to hold or strongly hold with the statement ( 97. 7 % . 98. 6 % and 100 % . severally ) . On the other manus. the per centum of adult females keeping top managerial places and holding with the statement is 75 % . while 12. 5 % is open and 12. 5 % tend to differ. In general 2. 5 % of all classs are either open or they disagree. and 97. 4 % holding. On the inquiry. which stated ‘Women and work forces are treated every bit in the organization’ . showed signi?cant differences at the 0. 10 degrees among the classs below ?rst
line

Downloaded by [ La Trobe University ] at 02:53 19 September 2013 direction. ?rst line direction. in-between direction and top direction. It appears that adult females in top direction and below ?rst line direction places ( 75 % and 44. 9 % ) strongly agree with the statement. However. the per centum of adult females in in-between direction strongly holding is really low merely 20. 8 % . but a higher per centum holding ( 45. 8 % ) nevertheless. with a sum of 33. 3 % disagreeing and strongly differing. or open with the statement and 12. 2 % of the below ?rst line direction are undecided. Overall 20. 1 % of all classs are either open or they disagree. and 79. 9 % holding. Following inquiry requested the sentiment of the respondents on the statement ‘At the company where I work adult females and work forces are given equal chances for promotion to higher positions’ .

Women keeping top managerial places believe that the company they are working for is giving both sexes equal chances for calling promotion since 62. 5 % strongly agree and 37. 5 % tend to hold. This image is non the same for the other managerial degrees. Womans in below ?rst line managerial degree agreeing is 81. 6 % while the staying 16. 4 % is open. The ?rst line directors have someway similar per centums with 75. 3 % holding with the statement. and 13. 7 % were open. For the in-between direction respondents the consequences were the undermentioned: 56. 7 % agreed. 4. 2 % are undecided while 29. 2 % do non believe that there is equal intervention between work forces and adult females in the organisation they are working.

In Part B of the questionnaire. there were signi?cant differences when analyzing Chisquare at the 0. 10 degrees of signi?cance. the inquiry refering the plans which identify and develop women’s potency. here a sum of 87. 7 % of below ?rst line direction. 90. 4 % of ?rst line direction. 70. 8 % of in-between direction and 87. 5 % of top direction reported that such plans are utile. However. a really little per centum of 8. 3 % of below ?rst line direction. 42. 9 % of ?rst line direction. 38. 5 % of in-between direction 55. 6 % reported that plans which identify and develop women’s potency are rather helpful.

Two open-ended inquiries allowed the participants to show themselves on other barriers that adult females face in their development and promotion in the workplace and besides other organisational patterns non addressed in the questionnaires. It is true that the bulk of the sample did non reply those two inquiries ; merely 10 % of the participants ?lled in those inquiries. Looking for other barriers that adult females face in their work life. the ?rst barrier mentioned by several participants was that adult females are stereotyped and are judged merely by their expressions. visual aspect and organic structure.

Other remarks were that adult females do non belong in societal webs. athleticss nines like work forces do. and this affects their callings. In add-on. when looking at other organisational patterns that might be helpful for women’s calling promotion. there were suggestions like work from place which needs to be encouraged. and courses that aid immature adult females increase their self-con?dence. assertiveness preparation and how to advance and protect their work rights. The last 1 is really of import because many adult females do non hold equal entree to their rights because some of these rights are based on ‘male breadwinner model’ and do non see the fact that females largely carry the load of holding to convey together household and professional life.

4.

Discussion

During the past few old ages. there has been a planetary attempt to extinguish gender favoritism ; but we still have a long manner to travel and a batch of perceptual experiences need to alter along the manner ( Bartram 2005 ) . Women around the Earth are being discriminated against in the workplace. they are non rewarded on equal footings as work forces and do non have the necessary AIDSs for calling promotion. Therefore. the intent of this survey was to place the factors that

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The International Journal of Human Resource Management

working adult females in Cyprus are faced with which lead them to see favoritism ; besides to analyze possible barriers that affect women’s promotion ; and ?nally place organisational patterns that assist them in accomplishing work – life balance. The ?ndings con?rm that adult females enter a company in big Numberss. as back uping staff. a minority of them reaches the middle-level direction. while a really little figure of female directors achieves an executive place ( Wirth 2001 ) . Merely 8 out of 154 adult females who participated in the research had top direction places. a figure which is non really positive for calling promotion chances of adult females. A decision that could be drawn. with cautiousness though. is that possibly adult females in Cyprus do confront a glass ceiling while mounting the corporate ladder. which does non let them to progress to exceed direction.

These ?ndings agree with the EMPATHY-EDGE research. carried out in 2003– 2006 by the European Union. which reported that 104 out of 156 adult females had ne’er straight experient workplace favoritism. even though the bulk of those adult females had experienced some sort of calling promotion barrier. Nevertheless. gender favoritism is a planetary phenomenon and it was non expected to have such a big per centum of adult females differing with its being in Cyprus. The consequences indicated that for the bulk of the Cypriot adult females. matrimony and kids did non look as a large obstruction for developing their callings. Similar to these ?ndings were the consequences of a research for female Grecian enterprisers by Sarri and Trihopoulou ( 2005 ) . describing that the bulk of the participants were married and had kids.

The authors continued by stating that adult females had achieved in ?nding a manner to ‘develop abilities. accomplishments and competencies’ that help them equilibrate their callings and household duties. However. in this survey it has been demonstrated that adult females have some dif?culty in equilibrating work and household duties. In add-on. deficiency of company plans that help adult females equilibrate work and household duties 93. 5 % of the respondents stated that organisational plans would greatly assist adult females equilibrate work and household duties. Possibly. the ground why adult females are gathered in lower organisational hierarchy degrees is their low degree of self-con?dence that prevents them from progressing. ‘Company’s deficiency of committedness to gender advancement’ and ‘lack of ability to implement and implement antidiscriminatory and equality legislation’ received high understanding evaluations. Companies should implement ordinances that help the minorities receive the chances they deserve. If a company fails to make so so the minorities are non treated every bit. Once once more these factors have an consequence on the ground why adult females are non represented every bit at the executive places of a company.

The consequences were impressive as a big figure of adult females would desire to be assisted by organisational plans. In peculiar. ‘mentoring programs’ . ‘managerial plans which identify and develop women’s potential’ . ‘programs that would assist adult females equilibrate their work and household lives’ . ‘on-site child care facilities’ . ‘refresher classs when re-entering the workforce’ . ‘offering ?exible working hours’ . ‘women function theoretical accounts in the highest degrees of the organization’ . ‘helping adult females to broaden their professional experiences’ received high evaluations and are considered as of import for them and their promotion.

The deficiency of adult females function theoretical accounts. the deficiency of mentoring and the committedness adult females have toward their households were identi?ed by Catalyst and the Conference of Board Europe ( Catalyst 2002 ) as of import barriers for women’s calling. globally. The occultation of these barriers by offering plans helping working adult females is an of import measure for the development and promotion of adult females in Cyprus.

From the responses of the above survey. it could be concluded that modern Cypriot adult females do wish to purse a calling and have a household at the same clip. Since most adult females

M. P. Michailidis et Al.

still have primary duty for child care and dependants. it is logical
that they identify issues related to household and the place as issues. which affect their calling development. Furthermore. gender attitudes have been altering throughout history. nevertheless. adult females all over the universe are still being rejected during the hiring procedure. non promoted in higher places. go on acquiring unequal wage and often faced with unseeable barriers which block them from making top organisational places. The roots of this inequality have been proven to be deep and appear to be really dif?cult to turn out and even harder to rectify. Achieving equal rights for equal places is immense. tremendous measure attempts and a planetary concern.

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