Educational Film Experiment at Workplaces: Can Sex-Role Attitudes and Work and Life Balance Capabilities Related to Maternity Be Treated?

Abstract

In order to understand the impact of educational videos on the sex-role attitudes and perceptions of maternity at workplaces, an experimental research design was selected. Our survey data originates from a randomized control trial of 262 employees across Estonian organisations. After using a randomization method to select five companies from Estonian company TOP 100 ranking, an equal size control and treatment groups within these companies were randomly selected. Employees of the control group were treated with a 20-minute educational film which was designed originally for highschool students for treating a traditional male-breadwinner type of sex-role attitudes. Research goal was to explore whether an educational film as a teaching tool could be also used in organisations to affect sex role attitudes and challenges of work and life balance with focus on maternity at workplaces. Survey data collection was arranged in companies by randomly splitting the employees into treatment and control groups, and they were guided through the experiment via written instructions and HR specialist support. For data analysis, author used descriptive analysis to measure the differences between the control and treatment group by analysing employees’ responses to 20 individual statements in Likert scale, with a focus on sex-role attitudes and maternity challenges questions. More specifically, author compared the differences between control and treatment group as well as the gender differences across the two groups (i.e whether an educational film had a greater affect to one over the other sex). This experiment suggests which topics in educational videos could positively affect sex-role attitudes and perceptions of maternity at workplace. The article also makes suggestions how context supporting training tools can be used together with educational videos at workplaces.