Human resources' self‐esteem across gender and categories: a study

The main objective of the study is to assess the self‐esteem of the human resources including future workforce, trainees, managers, and entrepreneurs.

Primary data based on 1,835 respondents were analyzed to compare the self‐esteem of males and females of various categories. Statistical tools such as factor analysis, correlations, analysis of variance, means, grand means, and standard deviations were used for the analysis of the data gathered.

Among all the derived five factors, respondents scored highest on strong belief which indicated the high self‐esteem cognition. Significant differences were found between the various categories of students, managers, entrepreneurs, and trainees. Males and females also differed on certain aspects of self‐esteem. The overall self‐esteem of the sample was found to be marginally positive.

The limitation of the study was that the data were collected from North India only, though they could have been collected from the wider area. Rather it can be extended cross‐culturally so that it may give more generalized conclusions.

Self‐esteem of human resources has managerial and policy implications. Self‐esteem affects the organisational decisions regarding planning and hiring, motivating, retaining, and laying‐off of human resources. High and positive self‐esteem has a positive relationship with job performance, job satisfaction, organisational commitment, need for achievement, self‐perceived competence, self‐image, and success expectancy. Organizations should not only concentrate on hiring and retaining high and positive self‐esteem employees, but also try to maintain the self‐esteem level of the employees. Organisations can enhance employees' self‐esteem by allowing them ample room for self‐determination.

This paper helps in understanding the level of self‐esteem of males and females across categories and resultant behaviour. Inclusion of aspirants along with managers and entrepreneurs will definitely add to the existing knowledge, management theory and practice.