Author(s): Solomon Adejare Babarinde, Afolabi Ayotunde Ojo, Olufemi Samuel Omoyele, Tina Imoiseme Aigbedion
Previous studies have focused more on gender diversity at the expense of gender balance practices, and as such, researchers have failed to dedicate adequate attention to investigating the manifestations of gender balance in the Nigerian public sector. In circumstances where studies exist, there have been inconsistent results regarding the impact of gender balance or equality as it is more common in the literature on employee performance. It would not be sufficient to explain the gender balance practices in the literature without considering their practical manifestations and implications for employee performance. To this end, the study considered that gender balance practices are more important in the public sector because public organizations are more symbolic of national values. Focusing on the economic independence of men and women by studying opportunities for career progression and the role of organizational politics, empirical research is implemented to understand the effect of gender balance practice on employee performance. The study finds that organizational politics and as well as employees' perception of organizational fairness affects the performance of employees. These results imply that when gender balance practices are present, employees are more motivated regardless of gender. The study recommends that organizations should focus more on promoting gender balance practices in terms of providing employees with economic independence and also making rooms for both junior and senior-level staff to benefit from organizational politics.