Original Research

Towards a workplace conducive to the career advancement of women

Karen Lewis-Enright, Anne Crafford, Freddie Crous
SA Journal of Industrial Psychology | Vol 35, No 1 | a832 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v35i1.832 | © 2009 Karen Lewis-Enright, Anne Crafford, Freddie Crous | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 08 May 2009 | Published: 13 August 2009

About the author(s)

Karen Lewis-Enright, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
Anne Crafford, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
Freddie Crous, University of Johannesburg, South Africa

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to start designing a workplace conducive to women’s career advancement. Appreciative inquiry was selected as an appropriate methodology, given the slow progress that has been made in addressing gender equality at work. Seventeen men and women working in the finance division of a large organisation were invited to participate in an appreciative inquiry workshop. This was followed by interviews with four leadership team members. While no original ideas or solutions emerged from the interventions, participants of the appreciative inquiry process demonstrated a shift in thinking, more positive emotional responses, a shared vision for the future and improved willingness to assume accountability for change.

Keywords

career advancement; women and work; workplace design; leadership; inquiry workshop

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