Employee perception of the challenges facing women’s career growth in Teachers Service Commission Secretariat, Kenya

Abstract

A paradigm shift does exist in the job market in terms of the nature and extent of the challenges that afflict women career growth in the current work environment as compared to previous decades. This research endeavor sought to establish employee perception of the challenges that face women career growth at the Teachers Service Commission secretariat. The motivation behind this research effort was the interest in seeking to establish the actual manifestation and extent of the challenges that derail the smooth career growth of female employees at the Teachers Service Commission secretariat to top management. A descriptive survey was used for the study so as to give a holistic picture of the perception of women-specific challenges at the Teachers Service Commission. To achieve this, a semi-structured self administered questionnaire was used to seek the opinion of the various respondents identified. Two sections were used in the questionnaire and section A dealt with demographic data while section B focused on the peculiar challenges that afflict women career growth at the Teachers Service Commission as informed by their perceptions and their experiences (both personal experiences as well as experiences of others within the workforce).The findings of the study found out/ established that work-life balance, favoritism, the leadership style within the commission and organizational politics are the major challenges that moderate the career growth of most female employees. The study concluded that there does exist both unique challenges that afflict female employees within the commission secretariat across all the three levels of management cadres as well as gender skewness across various service areas or departments with the skewness favoring members of either gender in the respective departments or directorates. The study recommended a careful attention to balanced progression and deployment of employees of both genders by the commission as a strategic move to manage the perception of employees on the commission as far as gender fairness is concerned. It also recommended enhancement of the sensitization of all employees on gender policy as well as any other legislative framework on gender so as to empower employees on matters that touch on their rights and welfare