Assessing Social and Work Environmental Factors Towards Women Upward Career Development: An Empirical Study from Pakistan

The goal of this research was to find the relationship between the work environment and societal issues that impede women's advancement to senior management positions. The study included 500 women professionals from diverse firms in Pakistan's business sector, of whom 100 were chosen as the sample size using a purposive sampling method. Experts confirmed the validity of the study tool, which was a questionnaire, and Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used to verify its reliability (0.704-0.982). The model's standardized regression coefficients suggested that social factors (0.298) were the most important factors determining women's empowerment in terms of career development and that they were further influenced by factors related to the work environment (0.411). It was concluded that organizational rules for female employees assist them to maintain a balance between work and family, resulting in a less stressful working environment. The role of the social factor as a mediator is also thought to be important in maintaining a healthier work environment in companies. It was also determined that much more work needs to be done on promotional regulations, as well as gender-blind legislation so that women's professional advancement is not limited to middle management.