A network analysis of organizational justice, job engagement and life satisfaction among women in male-dominated industries: exploring diverse work models

Introduction Efforts to understand women's underrepresentation in STEM have highlighted systemic exclusion and unequal access to resources, drawing largely on evidence from Western societies. Less is known about women's workplace experiences in contexts such as Iran, where restrictive laws and gendered social norms may reinforce these barriers. We examine how organizational justice, engagement, and life satisfaction interrelate across remote and in-person work arrangements in this context. Methods Using psychological network analysis, we compared remote ( n = 100) and in-person ( n = 144) women working in STEM in Iran. Nine variables-four justice dimensions, four engagement facets, and life satisfaction-were modeled as interconnected nodes. Results Procedural justice and participation showed relatively high strength centrality. Networks differed in a single edge, with a stronger association between interpersonal and informational justice among in-person workers. Global strength did not differ significantly, and life satisfaction was peripheral. Discussion Findings identify a localized difference in how justice dimensions interconnect across work arrangements. They highlight voice and participation as potentially important workplace resources for women in restrictive societal contexts, while leaving open whether the observed differences reflect work modality, employment conditions, or broader contextual influences.