Women in clerical work

This study examined the role of work in the lives of women clerical workers, and conditions that affected the quality of their experiences in the work place. The major goals were: 1) to describe the activities of clerical workers and their roles in organizations; 2) to examine workers' responses to and attitudes toward work; and 3) to assess the impacts of varying job conditions, personal-social situations and the interacting effects of job conditions and personal-social situations on these responses and attitudes. The purpose of the study was to document these workers' lives and thereby provide suggestions for improving the quality of work life for this particular group. It is important to note that in 1978, at the time of the study, 1/3 of all employed females in the U.S. were clerical workers. The sample consists of 178 clerical workers from an insurance company and a utility company. Personal interviews were conducted outside the work place, usually in the participant's home. The extensive interview covered topic areas such as the job description, the skills required, office autonomy, career goals, daily schedule, personal background, attitude toward supervisors, and relationship with co-workers. The Murray Center holds computer accessible data for the 178 subjects, 170 interview transcripts, and 175 audiotaped interviews for this data set. In addition, the center holds paper and audiotape data for 6 subjects who were not part of the original sample.