What do employees expect from their male and female managers? An exploratory study

Abstract

Gender inequality is a persistent issue that all societies must address. Gender stereotypes are developed and promoted by the societies in which we grow up, and they plague generations for years. Because of stereotypes and the roles that society assigns to gender, both males and females are expected to behave in certain ways and to take on certain roles, a phenomenon that promotes gender inequality. Women remain underrepresented in the labor sector, particularly in positions of power. Many researchers attempted to explain the sources of this discrimination, and a variety of explanations, including internalized gender stereotypes and prejudice, have been offered over the years. In general, because employees are also part of the society, they cannot remain unaffected by social constructions such as gender stereotypes and not internalize them. The goal of this dissertation is to explore what employees expect from their female and male managers, and how these expectations differ depending on the gender of the manager. To successfully meet the aim of this dissertation, a qualitative research approach was adopted. Data was collected through one-on-one online interviews with all 13 male and female employees. Employees seem to have different expectations from their male and female managers. Particularly, employees expect males and females to differently incorporate aspects of emotional intelligence, develop relationship dynamics and understand the complexities of everyday life. Because these expectations are often unspoken, open discussions must take place in order for employees to be aware of the existence of possible internalized gender stereotypes.