Congeniality of workplace environment for female library and information professionals in the higher education sector

Saleem, Qurat Ul Ain

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/110969 Copy

Description

Title

Congeniality of workplace environment for female library and information professionals in the higher education sector

Author(s)

Saleem, Qurat Ul Ain

Issue Date

2021-09-20

Keyword(s)

• Workplace human environment
• Workplace organizational environment
• Libraries as workplace
• Libraries-female library professionals

Abstract

Libraries as a workplace have been studied internationally (Farler & Preston, 2012; Ocholla, 2002; Oud, 2008). From the local perspective, the only study concerning the workplace issues of libraries is by Yousaf, Tariq, and Soroya (2013), which was limited to the managerial problems faced by female librarians working at the University of the Punjab. Hence, this study is one of its nature. The study aimed to investigate the libraries' congeniality as a workplace for female Library and Information professionals (LIPs). The conceptual framework adopted the two aspects of workplace environment: i) Human, ii) and Organizational. In terms of the human environment, manager's support, relationship with colleagues, and informal communication at work, while in terms of organizational environment, workplace empowerment, workplace equality, and physical works spaces were studied. The study's population includes female LIPs who have 16 years of relevant education and are working in the libraries of HEC recognized higher education institutions of Punjab province. The explanatory-sequential mixed-method research design was considered suitable due to the sensitive nature of the topic. For the quantitative strand, the researcher utilized a survey research method based on a self-constructed questionnaire. The quantitative results highlighted that female LIPs were satisfied with the human environment at their workplaces. Participants appreciated their immediate managers' role and support in terms of respect, feedback, task allocation, and approachability. They recognized colleagues' role and informal communication in making their workplace congenial and comfortable by establishing a positive relationship with supervisors, colleagues, or subordinates at the workplace. Participants were satisfied with the ergonomic workspace provided by their organizations. Participants appreciated that their workplace gave them enough empowerment to perform, and they found no specific inequalities at their workplaces. However, some open-ended comments reveal that females face leg-pulling, favoritism, male colleagues' indecent behavior, and managers' critical behavior at the workplace, inequalities based on personal relations with a supervisor. For qualitative data, interviews were conducted with the outlier cases, and data analysis is in process. The findings may help in sensitizing the management and authorities to control the environment at workplaces as this study brings into light the prevailing working environment for females.

Series/Report Name or Number

Libraries in the developing world

Type of Resource

Text

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/110969

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