Effects of gender role and family support on work adjustment among male flight attendants in Taiwan

• Yen-Cheng Chen

  Chinese Culture University

• Ching-Sung Lee

  Fu Jen Catholic University

• Tung-Han Yu

  Fu Jen Catholic University

• Jia-Yuan Shen

  Fu Jen Catholic University

The occupation of flight attendant traditionally carries strong gender connotations and expectations. Based on the gender schema theory, in this study we investigated the relationships among work adjustment, family support, and gender role of male flight attendants, and how to improve the work adjustment of the men working in these circumstances. We conducted a survey with 221 male flight attendants employed by the leading airline in Taiwan and found that both gender role and family support had a significant effect on work adjustment. In particular, male flight attendants who had feminine or androgynous gender roles had lower levels of work adjustment and required more family support, whereas flight attendants who had masculine gender roles had higher levels of work adjustment and tended to seek less support from their family. Our findings suggest that both type of gender role and family background influence men’s adjustment to working in a female-dominated work environment.

1. Yen-Cheng Chen, Chinese Culture University
   Department of Applied Science of Living
2. Ching-Sung Lee, Fu Jen Catholic University
   Department of Restaurant, Hotel, and Institutional Management
3. Tung-Han Yu, Fu Jen Catholic University
   Graduate Institute of Business Administration
4. Jia-Yuan Shen, Fu Jen Catholic University
   Department of Restaurant, Hotel, and Institutional Management
   

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