What if the supervisor has a different gender? The roles of value fit, identification, and beliefs in gender equality. Issue 1 (March 2023)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Adamovic, Mladen; Molines, Mathieu
• Is Part Of: Scandinavian journal of management. Volume 39:Issue 1(2023)
• Publication Date: 2023-03
• Subjects: Gender dissimilarity -- Value fit -- Identification with supervisor -- Beliefs in gender equality -- Satisfaction with supervisor -- Relational demography -- Person-supervisor fit; Industrial management -- Periodicals; Industrial management -- Scandinavia -- Periodicals; Gestion d'entreprise -- Périodiques; Gestion d'entreprise -- Scandinavie -- Périodiques; 658
• DOI: 10.1016/j.scaman.2022.101259
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0956-5221

Abstract

Abstract: In the past decades, the number of female employees and managers has strongly increased in most developed countries. This demographic development emphasizes the importance to investigate gender dissimilarity between employees and their supervisor and how it can be managed to elicit beneficial gender dissimilarity effects on employees' attitudes and interpersonal interactions. Past gender dissimilarity research often assumes women and men to have different values. Due to these value differences, women and men should be less satisfied with a supervisor who has a different gender. However, past research reported inconsistent gender dissimilarity effects on employees' satisfaction and other work-related satisfaction variables. To clarify gender dissimilarity effects on employees' satisfaction with their supervisor, we analyze the moderating role of an employee's beliefs in gender equality. We further draw on social identity theory and investigate value fit with the supervisor and identification with the supervisor as underlying mechanisms of gender dissimilarity effects. To test our research model, we conducted a three-wave survey study with 463 employees. Value fit and identification with the supervisor mediated the relationship between gender dissimilarity and employees' satisfaction with supervisor. This indirect relationship was only significant for employees with low beliefs in gender equality. This means high beliefs in gender equality can offset dysfunctional gender dissimilarity effects. Highlights: High beliefs in gender equality can offset dysfunctional gender dissimilarity effects. Clarifying inconsistent findings on the gender dissimilarity-satisfaction relationship. Gender dissimilarity only reduces supervisor satisfaction for employees with low beliefs in gender equality. Value fit and supervisor identification mediate the relationship between gender dissimilarity and supervisor satisfaction