Is it always this cold? Chilly interpersonal climates as a barrier to the well-being of early-career women faculty in STEM

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this project was to examine the extent to which early-career women faculty in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) experience working in a chilly interpersonal climate (as indicated by experiences of ostracism and incivility) and how those experiences relate to work and non-work well-being outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Data came from a sample of 96 early-career STEM faculty (Study 1) and a sample of 68 early-career women STEM faculty (Study 2). Both samples completed online surveys assessing their experiences of working in a chilly interpersonal climate and well-being.

Findings

In Study 1, early-career women STEM faculty reported greater experiences of ostracism and incivility and more negative occupational well-being outcomes associated with these experiences compared to early-career men STEM faculty. In Study 2, early-career women STEM faculty reported more ostracism and incivility from their male colleagues than from their female colleagues. Experiences of ostracism (and, to a lesser extent, incivility) from male colleagues also related to negative occupational and psychological well-being outcomes.

Originality/value

This paper documents that exposure to a chilly interpersonal climate in the form of ostracism and incivility is a potential explanation for the lack and withdrawal of junior women faculty in STEM academic fields.

Citation

Miner, K.N., January, S.C., Dray, K.K. and Carter-Sowell, A.R. (2019), "Is it always this cold? Chilly interpersonal climates as a barrier to the well-being of early-career women faculty in STEM", Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Vol. 38 No. 2, pp. 226-245. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-07-2018-0127