Discrimination and career satisfaction: Perceptions from US forest service scientists

Christel C. Kern; Laura S. Kenefic; Michael J. Dockry; Alan Cobo-Lewis

doi:10.1093/jofore/fvz057

Discrimination and career satisfaction: Perceptions from US forest service scientists

Christel C. Kern, Laura S. Kenefic, Michael J. Dockry, Alan Cobo-Lewis

Forest Resources

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Research, largely focused on academia, has shown demographic differences in perceptions and experiences of workplace culture in science fields, including natural resources. Less is known about experiences of those working for government institutions. This study examined relationships between demographic characteristics (gender, scientific discipline, years as a scientist), experiences of discrimination or harassment, and perceptions of career success and satisfaction as reported in a survey by 100 research scientists in the US Forest Service: a hierarchical federal agency with explicit goals for workforce diversification. Approximately half the survey respondents, and more women than men, indicated that they had experienced work-related discrimination or harassment. Survey respondents identified gender as the most common basis of discrimination. Although most felt successful and satisfied in their careers, this perception was lower among those who had experienced discrimination or harassment.These findings highlight challenges of workforce diversification, especially in hierarchical institutions where organizational structure favors conformity.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	44-58
Number of pages	15
Journal	Journal of Forestry
Volume	118
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/jofore/fvz057
State	Published - Jan 1 2020

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
We thank the scientists of the US Forest Service, Northern Research Station for participating in this study. Cherie L. Fisher (US Forest Service) was integral to developing and deploying our survey instrument and summarizing responses; Susan L. Stout (US Forest Service) assisted with developing research questions and hypotheses. Reviews of the survey were provided by Jessica Leahy (University of Maine) and Herb Schroeder (US Forest Service). Reviews of data analyses and an earlier version of this manuscript were provided by Craig Mason, Lynne Westphal, Ingrid Schneider, and Christopher Woodall. The project was supported by the US Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Executive Team and Civil Rights and Diversity Committee, Special Projects Fund.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Diversity
Gender
Government researchers
Harassment
Workforce diversification

Access

10.1093/jofore/fvz057

OpenUrl availability

Full text

Cite this

@article{de523cc841974fa79fe9c053f0150ecc,

title = "Discrimination and career satisfaction: Perceptions from US forest service scientists",

abstract = "Research, largely focused on academia, has shown demographic differences in perceptions and experiences of workplace culture in science fields, including natural resources. Less is known about experiences of those working for government institutions. This study examined relationships between demographic characteristics (gender, scientific discipline, years as a scientist), experiences of discrimination or harassment, and perceptions of career success and satisfaction as reported in a survey by 100 research scientists in the US Forest Service: a hierarchical federal agency with explicit goals for workforce diversification. Approximately half the survey respondents, and more women than men, indicated that they had experienced work-related discrimination or harassment. Survey respondents identified gender as the most common basis of discrimination. Although most felt successful and satisfied in their careers, this perception was lower among those who had experienced discrimination or harassment.These findings highlight challenges of workforce diversification, especially in hierarchical institutions where organizational structure favors conformity.",

keywords = "Diversity, Gender, Government researchers, Harassment, Workforce diversification",

author = "Kern, {Christel C.} and Kenefic, {Laura S.} and Dockry, {Michael J.} and Alan Cobo-Lewis",

note = "Funding Information: We thank the scientists of the US Forest Service, Northern Research Station for participating in this study. Cherie L. Fisher (US Forest Service) was integral to developing and deploying our survey instrument and summarizing responses; Susan L. Stout (US Forest Service) assisted with developing research questions and hypotheses. Reviews of the survey were provided by Jessica Leahy (University of Maine) and Herb Schroeder (US Forest Service). Reviews of data analyses and an earlier version of this manuscript were provided by Craig Mason, Lynne Westphal, Ingrid Schneider, and Christopher Woodall. The project was supported by the US Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Executive Team and Civil Rights and Diversity Committee, Special Projects Fund. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2020 Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.",

year = "2020",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1093/jofore/fvz057",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "118",

pages = "44--58",

journal = "Journal of Forestry",

issn = "0022-1201",

publisher = "Society of American Foresters",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Discrimination and career satisfaction

T2 - Perceptions from US forest service scientists

AU - Kern, Christel C.

AU - Kenefic, Laura S.

AU - Dockry, Michael J.

AU - Cobo-Lewis, Alan

N1 - Funding Information: We thank the scientists of the US Forest Service, Northern Research Station for participating in this study. Cherie L. Fisher (US Forest Service) was integral to developing and deploying our survey instrument and summarizing responses; Susan L. Stout (US Forest Service) assisted with developing research questions and hypotheses. Reviews of the survey were provided by Jessica Leahy (University of Maine) and Herb Schroeder (US Forest Service). Reviews of data analyses and an earlier version of this manuscript were provided by Craig Mason, Lynne Westphal, Ingrid Schneider, and Christopher Woodall. The project was supported by the US Forest Service, Northern Research Station, Executive Team and Civil Rights and Diversity Committee, Special Projects Fund. Publisher Copyright: © 2020 Oxford University Press. All rights reserved.

PY - 2020/1/1

Y1 - 2020/1/1

N2 - Research, largely focused on academia, has shown demographic differences in perceptions and experiences of workplace culture in science fields, including natural resources. Less is known about experiences of those working for government institutions. This study examined relationships between demographic characteristics (gender, scientific discipline, years as a scientist), experiences of discrimination or harassment, and perceptions of career success and satisfaction as reported in a survey by 100 research scientists in the US Forest Service: a hierarchical federal agency with explicit goals for workforce diversification. Approximately half the survey respondents, and more women than men, indicated that they had experienced work-related discrimination or harassment. Survey respondents identified gender as the most common basis of discrimination. Although most felt successful and satisfied in their careers, this perception was lower among those who had experienced discrimination or harassment.These findings highlight challenges of workforce diversification, especially in hierarchical institutions where organizational structure favors conformity.

AB - Research, largely focused on academia, has shown demographic differences in perceptions and experiences of workplace culture in science fields, including natural resources. Less is known about experiences of those working for government institutions. This study examined relationships between demographic characteristics (gender, scientific discipline, years as a scientist), experiences of discrimination or harassment, and perceptions of career success and satisfaction as reported in a survey by 100 research scientists in the US Forest Service: a hierarchical federal agency with explicit goals for workforce diversification. Approximately half the survey respondents, and more women than men, indicated that they had experienced work-related discrimination or harassment. Survey respondents identified gender as the most common basis of discrimination. Although most felt successful and satisfied in their careers, this perception was lower among those who had experienced discrimination or harassment.These findings highlight challenges of workforce diversification, especially in hierarchical institutions where organizational structure favors conformity.

KW - Diversity

KW - Gender

KW - Government researchers

KW - Harassment

KW - Workforce diversification

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85083025848&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85083025848&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/jofore/fvz057

DO - 10.1093/jofore/fvz057

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85083025848

SN - 0022-1201

VL - 118

SP - 44

EP - 58

JO - Journal of Forestry

JF - Journal of Forestry

IS - 1

ER -

Discrimination and career satisfaction: Perceptions from US forest service scientists

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Access

OpenUrl availability

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this