IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i23p16195-d1285324.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Preventing Workplace Sexual Harassment and Productivity Loss during Crisis Periods: The Protective Role of Equitable Management

Author

Listed:
  • Arístides Vara-Horna

    (Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Human Resources, San Martín de Porres University, Lima 43, Peru)

  • Zaida Asencios-Gonzalez

    (Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Human Resources, San Martín de Porres University, Lima 43, Peru)

  • Liliana Quipuzco-Chicata

    (Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Human Resources, San Martín de Porres University, Lima 43, Peru)

  • Alberto Díaz-Rosillo

    (Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Human Resources, San Martín de Porres University, Lima 43, Peru)

  • Dante Supo-Rojas

    (Faculty of Administrative Sciences and Human Resources, San Martín de Porres University, Lima 43, Peru)

Abstract

This study examines the role of equitable management in preventing sexual harassment in the workplace and a loss of productivity during periods of crisis due to natural or social disasters. A structured survey of 445 women from 76 companies in five regions of northern Peru and a structural equation analysis show that companies that implement equitable management can mitigate the adverse effects of social conflicts and natural disasters. These findings indicate that equitable management is inversely related to counterproductive behaviors (β = −0.259, p < 0.001), sexual harassment at work (β = −0.349, p < 0.001), and turnover intention (β = −0.527, p < 0.001) and is positively associated with organizational citizenship behaviors (β = 0.204, p < 0.001) and psychological empowerment (β = 0.240, p < 0.001). Social conflicts and natural disasters, on the other hand, increase workplace sexual harassment (β = 0.244, p = 0.027) and intention to quit (β = 0.252, p < 0.001) and have a considerable impact on the loss of work productivity (β = 0.662, p < 0.001). However, in companies with fairer and more equitable management, this impact is much smaller and mitigated by these good practices. This suggests that equitable management protects against and prevents sexual harassment at work. In addition, it acts as a mechanism that enhances organizational citizenship behaviors and attitudes in the workplace which remain even in adverse external environments. This is an effective tool and strategy for maintaining productivity and organizational resilience in difficult times.

Suggested Citation

  • Arístides Vara-Horna & Zaida Asencios-Gonzalez & Liliana Quipuzco-Chicata & Alberto Díaz-Rosillo & Dante Supo-Rojas, 2023. "Preventing Workplace Sexual Harassment and Productivity Loss during Crisis Periods: The Protective Role of Equitable Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-26, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:23:p:16195-:d:1285324
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/23/16195/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/23/16195/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Vojko Potocan & Zlatko Nedelko, 2021. "The Behavior of Organization in Economic Crisis: Integration, Interpretation, and Research Development," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 174(4), pages 805-823, December.
    2. Sanghyun Lee & Sounman Hong & Bong Gyou Lee, 2023. "Is There a Right Way to Lay Off Employees in Times of Crisis?: The Role of Organizational Justice in the Case of Airbnb," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-16, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Athira, A. & Ramesh, Vishnu K., 2023. "COVID-19 and corporate tax avoidance: International evidence," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(4).
    2. Dusko Ursic & Andrej Smogavc Cestar, 2022. "Crisis Management and CSR in Slovenian Companies: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-16, February.
    3. Chenguang Hu & Kyung Hwan Yun & Ziqi Su & Chang Xi, 2022. "Effective Crisis Management during Adversity: Organizing Resilience Capabilities of Firms and Sustainable Performance during COVID-19," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-20, October.
    4. Dabić, Marina & Maley, Jane F. & Črešnar, Rok & Nedelko, Zlatko, 2023. "Unappreciated channel of manufacturing productivity under industry 4.0: Leadership values and capabilities," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    5. Sanghyun Lee & Sounman Hong & Won-Yong Shin & Bong Gyou Lee, 2023. "The Experiences of Layoff Survivors: Navigating Organizational Justice in Times of Crisis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(24), pages 1-20, December.
    6. Surachartkumtonkun, Jiraporn & Ngo, Liem Viet & Shao, Wei, 2023. "The crisis cloud's silver linings: The effects of hope and gratitude on employee burnout and engagement," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:23:p:16195-:d:1285324. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.