INFLUENCE OF PERCEIVED GLASS CEILING AND PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES ON FEMALE EMPLOYEES’ ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT

Abstract

The present study, which was designed as a cross-sectional research investigated the role of personal attributes (age, education, job position, organizational tenure) and the perceived glass ceiling on organizational commitment of senior level female employees in public sector organizations. One hundred and fifty-two female workers with a mean age of 36.6 (s.d. = 9.03) were conveniently sampled from eight public sector organizations in southwest Nigeria. Job position was categorized into three: supervisor (33.6%), middle management (51.3%) and senior management (15.1%). Their educational status ranged from national diploma to post-graduate certificates. Each respondent completed a questionnaire that contained standardized scales that measured perceived glass ceiling, organizational commitment, age, education, job position and organizational tenure. Results showed significant joint influence of age, education, job position, organizational tenure and perceived glass ceiling on organizational commitment. Perceived glass ceiling and age contributed most to organizational commitment. It was concluded that personal attributes influenced organizational commitment but perceived glass ceiling and age contributed significantly to organizational commitment.