This study examined the effects of leaders’ gender and the gender role of the leaders’ behavior on the leaders’ evaluations and the possibility that these effects were mediated by attributions to the leaders’ behavior. The study conducted two experiments. Experiment 1 (n=151) indicated that leaders’ evaluations were higher when male leaders acted consistently with women’s behavior. Experiment 2 (n=110) showed that female leaders’ evaluations were higher when female leaders acted consistently with men. These findings indicated that the leaders’ ratings were higher when their gender and behavioral gender roles did not match. Moreover, Experiment 2 showed that attributing leaders’ behaviors to the leaders’ gender partially mediated the effect of gender-behavior mismatch on leaders’ evaluation. The author has discussed the problems related to these findings and the prospects for this research.

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The purpose of this study was to develop the Japanese version of the Career Orientation Scale and to examine of characteristics by demographics. A total of 423 working adults (208 males, 215 females) and 342 university students (134 males, 208 females) completed the questionnaire. The confirmatory factor analysis indicated a six-factor structure in accordance with the original version. In addition, the simultaneous multi-population analysis suggested that the Japanese version of the Career Orientation Scale is an applicable scale regardless of sex and occupational category. The test-retest reliability was found to be sufficiently high. Correlation analysis with the Career Anchor Scale showed strong correlations between the subscales which were considered conceptually corresponding. The results of correlation analysis with the Protean Career Scale and the Boundaryless Career Scale, which were considered conceptually related to career orientation, indicated sufficient validity. Furthermore, the cluster analysis suggested that several orientations increase simultaneously, and that the patterns differed from college students to working adults.

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The lack of increase in female organizational leaders may be associated with male-dominated gender stereotypes toward organizational leaders. However, owing to the effect of social desirability, the stereotypes may not easily appear in explicit attitude. This study aimed to investigate both implicit and explicit attitudes toward the link between gender and organizational leader and assess the correlation between these attitudes. Moreover, it sought to uncover gender-stereotypical attributes influencing the association between gender and organizational leader. Participants included undergraduate and graduate students (70 males and females each). Their implicit and explicit associations (male/female-leader/ supporter, male/female-superior/inferior, and male/female-independent/dependent) were examined through a computer-based implicit association test and a questionnaire, respectively. Both males and females displayed significant implicit associations between “male” and “leader,” but the association was significantly greater in males than in females. In males, the implicit male-leader association had significant correlations with the implicit associations between “male” and “superior” or “independent.” In the questionnaire, a tendency to regard “male” as “leader” was greater in males than in females, but the relevant factors leading to male-leader association were not observed. Japanese male and female students harbor an implicit gender stereotype that links “male” with “organizational leader,” which is greater in males than in females. In males, the implicit male-leader association is partly related to malesuperior and independent associations.

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This study conducted a narrative review focusing on existing intervention methods aimed at improving psychological safety. The objective was to organize useful perspectives for enhancing psychological safety and to explore the development of future intervention methods. The narrative review revealed six key themes: 1) the degree of participation in intervention methods, 2) the necessity of a team approach, 3) the compatibility with the context of the intervention target, 4) the structuring and standardization of communication during interventions, 5) the significance of third-party interventions(companions, facilitators), and 6) awareness of psychological safety scores before (or at the beginning of) the intervention. For theme 1), it was found that intervention designs should ensure that the intended intervention stimuli are provided to the participants as planned, rather than allowing participation based on free will. Theme 2) indicated the need to incorporate designs that intervene with the entire team rather than just individuals. Theme 3) showed that the topics and content addressed in intervention methods should be designed to align with the situation and issues faced by the intervention targets. Theme 4) emphasized the necessity of clearly demonstrating the methods and procedures for communication during the intervention. Theme 5) highlighted the need for intervention designs that include third-party involvement. Theme 6) suggested that a mixed analysis approach, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative analyses, is necessary to accurately capture the process of changes in intervention impacts and contexts. Developing intervention methods that consider these six key themes will likely lead to more effective approaches to enhancing psychological safety.

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This study identified coworkers' attitudes toward long-term parental leave for men. Twelve male enterprise workers were interviewed using a semi-structured format. These employees knew male coworkers who had taken parental leave for a minimum of one month. The data collected were analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach (M-GTA), and 11 categories and 35 concepts were generated. The findings reveal the following. (a) The support for male parental leave is promoted by a conducive work environment and is mutually influenced by a sense of mutual support in the workplace. (b) Even if a worker initially supports male parental leave, a sense of unfairness and negative feelings due to excessive workload gradually diminish the support for male parental leave, leading to conflicts over male parental leave. Finally, (c) negative feelings about taking over the work and excessive workload contribute to a sense of unfairness.

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This study conducts a survey on workplace loneliness and isolation as perceived by HR personnel, examining how HR personnel perceive loneliness and isolation. Semi-structured interviews with 23 HR personnel from 15 companies revealed that loneliness and isolation were perceived as "a lack of communication and cooperation within the organization, leading to distress and discomfort, with significant individual differences in perception." While prior definitions focused solely on interpersonal relationships, HR personnel also identified "a sense of not being relied upon in work matters," revealing a work-related dimension to these issues. Furthermore, based on responses from HR personnel, the perception of workplace loneliness and isolation was organized into four quadrants based on two axes: "visibility of loneliness and isolation from HR" and "whether employees feel lonely and isolated." Workplace loneliness and isolation were found to be less visible to HR personnel, and there was an issue with individuals not wanting to show their loneliness and isolation. This quadrant framework proposes effective preventive measures against workplace loneliness and isolation.

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