“Our Building is Run by Women”: Women’s Success in the Illinois Public Sector

Taryn Christy

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/114155 Copy

Description

Title

“Our Building is Run by Women”: Women’s Success in the Illinois Public Sector

Author(s)

Taryn Christy

Issue Date

2022-04-29

Keyword(s)

• Women's Studies
• public sector employment

Geographic Coverage

Illinois

Abstract

Today, Americans tend to think of public sector jobs as a direct path into the middle class. They assume public sector jobs offer generous pensions, secure benefits, and good pay. This study aims to put those assumptions to the test, asking how women access and experience these allegedly stable state jobs. How does gender shape recruitment and retention in state jobs in Illinois? What does this tell us about women’s distinct experiences in the workplace? My analysis of this question is based on eleven semi-structured interviews that I conducted with women working for state agencies in Illinois. Interviewees working in white-collar positions in state agencies were recruited through the snow-ball method, with each interviewee inviting others to participate in the study through word-of-mouth. Ultimately, I found that internships and ongoing female mentorship facilitate women’s long-term success in the workplace. These elements, coupled with strong union contracts, create an ideal work environment for women employed by state agencies in Illinois. Internships help women get their foot in the door. Then, female mentorship affirms women’s presence in state agencies while also encouraging women to grow and succeed. Unions are a critical part of state employment. They helped establish the good pay and benefits that make state jobs attractive to workers. Yet my interviews reveal that union leadership often struggles to capture women’s needs at the bargaining table and to gain women’s trust in the workplace. Together, my findings offer new insights into the elements that help women thrive in the workplace.

Type of Resource

• text
• dataset

Language

en

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http://hdl.handle.net/2142/114155

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