The Role of Gender in Government and Nonprofit Workplaces: An Experimental Analysis of Rule Compliance and Supervisor Trust

Abstract The underrepresentation of women in leadership positions persists. Existing research examines barriers face climbing organizational hierarchies, but we know less about who break past the glass ceiling. Once obtain supervisory positions, do they additional hurdles managing employees? Specifically, how does gender, gender congruence, and rule formalization influence employee compliance trust? Using a survey experiment across both government nonprofit contexts, find that men are more likely to trust managers, this gap is mitigated when rules written. Gender congruence plays role for compliance, where compliant supervisor matches their while only significant factor enhancing men. findings advance incongruence theory have implications challenges leaders terms following.