Gender inequality at work: reflections on the attitudes of women and on their intention of leaving the company

Abstract

Gender relations in the world of work are still marked by important asymmetries, especially concerning wages and access to top positions in organizational structures. In this study, we analyzed whether the perception of inequality in the distribution of rewards and in the criteria for reward allocation affect women's job satisfaction and identification with the organizations they work for. We also tested whether work meaningfulness moderates the effects of perceived inequality upon women's attitudes, intensifying such effects among the women whose work orientation is more central to their self-identity. This research investigates these relationships in a sample of 172 women with undergraduate degrees, who work in Rio de Janeiro for different organizations and in various industries. The results suggest that the perception of inequality has a negative impact on women's attitudes towards their job and the organizations they work for; work meaningfulness has the theorized moderating effects; and through its impact on women's attitudes, the perception of inequality significantly affects women's intention to leave the organization.