Promoting diversity, fairness, and inclusion in the workplace is part of workplace support. This includes fostering a friendly and inclusive atmosphere in which people from all walks of life feel appreciated, respected, and given equal opportunity for progress. Employers may put in place rules and efforts to combat implicit bias, encourage diversity in recruiting and promotions, and develop an inclusive culture.
According to a study published on May 15 in MIT Sloan Management Review, males benefit more at work from helping their colleagues than women do due to variations in the ways each provides assistance.
The research classified workplace support into five categories: emotional support, esteem reinforcement, social companionship, information or guidance, and instrumental aid (offering real products or services).
While social support is vital for organizational performance, males prefer to give social companionship and instrumental assistance, which leads to a greater sense of rewards at work, according to the survey. Women, on the other hand, tend to offer emotional and esteem support.
According to the study, women’s assistance may be less obvious and appreciated differently than men’s.
“While organizations continue to seek ways to better retain women and members of underrepresented groups, reduce isolation with remote and hybrid work, and boost job engagement and satisfaction,” said Nancy Baym, a senior principal research manager at Microsoft Research, in a statement about the report.
Prominently, according to a separate report dated 14th March 2023 from MIT Sloan, female employees are more likely than males to be critical of negative aspects of workplace culture. Toxic cultural traits, including disrespectful, noninclusive, cutthroat, abusive, and unethical conduct, are more frequently observed by women, which may be related to the ways women provide assistance at work.
In response, managers should give clarity about which workplace behaviors are regarded as high-value and increase their exposure by including such behaviors in employee performance assessments, according to the study.
Employee engagement, satisfaction, and productivity all benefit from workplace support. Organizations may establish a healthy work environment that allows people to thrive both personally and professionally by providing essential support mechanisms.
