Aim: The study explores whether, and how, gender equality is associated with key aspects related to operative managers' improvement work. We explore the possible associations between gender equality and; prioritization of social regulations in operative decision-making, engagement in operative improvement work, group dynamics challenges and collaboration between managers and subordinates. Background: Regarding organizational relations and preconditions for providing good care and developing operative work in the social and elderly care sector, the value of having organizational gender equality is unknown. Method: Associations were analysed using structural equation modelling of questionnaire data. The questionnaire was distributed to first-line managers in a large city in Sweden (n = 598, response rate 56%). Results: Positive perceptions of organizations' gender equality were significantly associated with more engagement in operative improvement work, fewer group dynamics challenges and higher priority of social regulations in unit decision-making, also when controlling for confounders. Gender equality had no association with managers' collaboration with subordinates in this study. Conclusion(s): This study demonstrates that equal opportunities for male and female workers could benefit operative managers' improvement work. Implications for Nursing Management: Organizations that strive to improve conditions for operative work, which strengthen preconditions for service development, should include values of gender equality.
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CITATION STYLE
Allard, K., Hasselgren, C., & Dellve, L. (2021). Gender equality and managers’ work in elderly and social care: A structural equation modelling approach. Journal of Nursing Management, 29(8), 2689–2696. https://doi.org/10.1111/jonm.13396