Glass Ceiling and Work Engagement: Higher Education in Kazakhstan

Abstract

This study examines the relationship between women's beliefs about the glass ceiling and their work engagement in higher education institutions in Kazakhstan. The proposed theoretical model was tested using PLS-SEM. Data were collected from 274 women working in higher education institutions in Kazakhstan. Women's beliefs about the glass ceiling were examined across four dimensions (denial, resilience, resignation, and acceptance), while work engagement was measured using the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. The findings indicate that denial and resilience positively affect work engagement, whereas resignation and acceptance negatively affect it. The results show that women's beliefs about the glass ceiling play an important role in shaping their level of work engagement. The study provides a comprehensive understanding of women's beliefs about the glass ceiling and work engagement in Kazakhstan's higher education sector.