Exploring gender differences in workload and job performance: insights from junior high school teachers
Yongtao Gan1, Jing Deng2, Chang Liu2
1Institute of Higher Education, Shantou University, Shantou, China. ganyt@foxmail.com.
BMC Psychology
|March 3, 2025
Summary
Gender significantly impacts junior high teachers' workload and performance. Male teachers excel in task performance, while females lead in contextual performance, with marital status influencing this disparity.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Sociology of Education
- Human Resources Management
Background:
- Gender disparities in workload and performance among junior high teachers are significant but not fully understood.
- Existing research lacks detailed analysis of how specific workload aspects relate to gender differences in teacher performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between specific workload components and gender differences in teacher work performance.
- To elucidate the mechanisms driving gender disparities in the teaching profession.
Main Methods:
- Survey data from 1135 junior high school educators.
- NASA Task Load Index for workload assessment; task and contextual performance evaluation.
- Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition to analyze gender gap contributions.
Main Results:
- Male teachers showed higher task performance; female teachers exhibited higher contextual performance.
- Contextual performance mediated the observed gender disparity in work performance.
- Marital status exacerbated the gender gap, particularly for single teachers.
Conclusions:
- Gender is a critical determinant of workload and performance for junior high teachers.
- Recommends further research within a "gender-workload-capacity development" framework.
- Advocates for informed decision-making and equitable work environments for educators.
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