Journal of Social Equity and Public Administration

The Full Participation of Women in the Public Sector Workplace: Women’s Emotions and (In)Authentic Expression

Erin L. Borry

University of Alabama at Birmingham

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5346-2426

Heather Getha-Taylor

University of Kansas

https://orcid.org/0009-0004-4838-9411

Heather I. Shurtliff

University of Kansas

https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1695-0922

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24926/jsepa.v4i1.6782

Keywords: women in public administration, emotion management, emotional labor, organizational support, career success

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Abstract

In the push for ever-improved organizational performance, scholarship and practice may neglect the human elements that contribute to such performance. Emotional labor research focuses on the outward-facing aspects of public service, but inward emotional experiences are not commonly studied, despite their professional and personal impact. This study surveys women public servants about the emotions they experience at work and how they manage them. Respondents report a range of positive and negative emotions at work, and they manage them in professionally acceptable ways. Specifically, they suppress negative emotions more than positive ones. Results suggest that connections among emotions, emotion management, organizational support, and career success are nuanced: women report intangible rewards but are less satisfied with tangible ones. If women trade emotional authenticity for career success, this research  suggests those efforts are only partially successful. This raises questions about women’s ability to participate authentically and perform fully in public service organizations.

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Author Biographies

Erin L. Borry, University of Alabama at Birmingham

Erin L. Borry (she/her) (borry@uab.edu) is a professor of public administration at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her research interests include rules, red tape, social equity, and teaching public administration with pop culture.

Heather Getha-Taylor, University of Kansas

Heather Getha-Taylor (she/her) (hgtaylor@ku.edu) serves as a professor in the School of Public Affairs and Administration at the University of Kansas. Her teaching and research interests focus on public and nonprofit management, including topics in human resource management, leadership, and collaboration.

Heather I. Shurtliff, University of Kansas

Heather I. Shurtliff (she/her) (heather.shurtliff@ku.edu) is a PhD student in the School of Public Affairs and Administration at the University of Kansas. Her research interests include human resource management and public administration management, specifically public sector career attraction, recruitment, job satisfaction, turnover, and retention.

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