Impact of Managerial Gender Roles and Social Style on Employee Behavior in Remote Work Models

Abstract

Based on the foundations of femininity-masculinity and assertiveness-responsiveness, this study investigates the interplay between gender roles and social styles in managerial behavior and its impact on employee voice and engagement in a fully remote work setting. The research gathered data from 542 Information Technology (IT) professionals with a two-wave survey design. The results suggest a potential linkage between gender roles and social styles. Managers with androgynous gender roles are more likely to exhibit expressive social style than any other style; masculine gender roles exhibit driver social style, while managers with undifferentiated gender roles are likelier to demonstrate analytical social style. The findings further indicate that managers exhibiting higher levels of femininity within their gender role (androgynous and feminine) positively impact employee voice and engagement. In contrast, lower levels of femininity (masculine and undifferentiated) seem to correspond with diminished employee voice and engagement. This pattern also extends to social styles.