Influence of Work–Life Programs on Women’s Representation and Organizational Outcomes: Insights from Engineering and Construction

Abstract

Existing workplace gender inequality has been unaddressed or substantially underaddressed worldwide, resulting in calls for an increased focus by organizations on the design and implementation of work–life programs to reduce the gender gap and to attain gender parity. The purpose of this study is to investigate how work–life programs may influence women’s representation and lead to improved organizational financial performance in engineering and construction industry sectors. A simultaneous mixed-method design included a time-lagged research study using data collected from an archival database and tested predictions in 205 construction and engineering organizations operating in Australia. Thirteen semistructured interviews were also conducted with human resource professionals and senior managers working in these industries. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that workplace consultation positively impacts offering of work–life programs, influencing both women’s representation and organizational financial performance. The qualitative findings identified the design and implementation issues experienced in work–life policies and strategies.