Training vs termination: How men and women interpret organizational strategies in response to sexual harassment scandals

Abstract: Despite decades of efforts to address gender inequality, gender gaps in workplaces persist. We theorize one contributing factor is how men versus women perceive firm policies introduced in response to conflict arising from sexual harassment scandals, shaped by beliefs about justice and commitment. Combining qualitative and experimental data, we find men and women draw different and nuanced conclusions about equivalent organizational reactions to and policies following sexual harassment scandals, differentially impacting their willingness to work at these firms in the future. We discuss implications of these findings for understanding male and female job candidates’ labor market decisions and assessments of organizational practices aimed at addressing sexual harassment. This submission relates to the following tracks: (1) Inequality, Racism, Sexism, and/or DEI, (2) Organizational and/or Inter-organizational Issues, (3) Decision Making. (128/150 words)

Keywords: gender inequality, sexual harassment, organizational scandals, labor relations