How does the Workplace How does the Workplace Influence Gender?Influence Gender?

What is Work?What is Work? Work is a secondary socialising agent.Work is a secondary socialising agent. It comes later on in life when a person has It comes later on in life when a person has

grown up.grown up. People learn the disciplines of work and how to People learn the disciplines of work and how to

behave within their roles.behave within their roles. There are 2 types of labour markets primary There are 2 types of labour markets primary

and secondary.and secondary. Primary labour markets consists of work in a Primary labour markets consists of work in a

large corporations, industries or governments large corporations, industries or governments agencies. Workers receive relatively high agencies. Workers receive relatively high wages and enjoy good job security.wages and enjoy good job security.

Secondary labour markets include forms of Secondary labour markets include forms of employment, which are unstable, where job employment, which are unstable, where job security and wages are low and there are fewer security and wages are low and there are fewer opportunities for promotion.opportunities for promotion.

Women in the Workplace…Women in the Workplace… Women’s jobs are more concentrated in secondary Women’s jobs are more concentrated in secondary

labour markets.labour markets. Waitressing, retail sales work and secretarial jobs Waitressing, retail sales work and secretarial jobs

carried out by women fall into this category.carried out by women fall into this category. Women in their 20’s and 30’s, today, have lives Women in their 20’s and 30’s, today, have lives

that are profoundly different from those of their that are profoundly different from those of their mothers.mothers. Today’s women are better qualified than Today’s women are better qualified than ever before. ever before. In 1963 only a quarter ofIn 1963 only a quarter of undergraduates were female.undergraduates were female. This had increased This had increased to a third by the mid 1970’s, and is now slightly to a third by the mid 1970’s, and is now slightly over half.over half.

Women are entering the workforce in larger Women are entering the workforce in larger numbers than ever before, but the job market is numbers than ever before, but the job market is still heavily segregated by gender.still heavily segregated by gender. And the sad And the sad fact is that, the larger the proportion of women in fact is that, the larger the proportion of women in an industry, the lower the status andan industry, the lower the status and pay. pay.

Sociologists find it convenient to use occupational Sociologists find it convenient to use occupational scales which sort people into social classes on the scales which sort people into social classes on the basis of their particular occupations. However this basis of their particular occupations. However this approach presents certain difficulties as far as approach presents certain difficulties as far as women are concerned.women are concerned.

1. Full-time housework or child-care does not count 1. Full-time housework or child-care does not count as an ‘occupation’. as an ‘occupation’. Even part-time female workers Even part-time female workers pose a problem because their domestic duties may pose a problem because their domestic duties may have forced them to take a job at a lower level than have forced them to take a job at a lower level than they otherwise would have achieved. they otherwise would have achieved.

2. Sexual segregation in the workforce means that 2. Sexual segregation in the workforce means that men and women do different types of jobs.men and women do different types of jobs. Even if they Even if they are in the same social class they may not even share are in the same social class they may not even share the same work and market situations. the same work and market situations. Within any given Within any given class, women’s jobs tend to be rated as lower in status class, women’s jobs tend to be rated as lower in status than men’s.than men’s.

3) Occupational classifications make finer distinctions 3) Occupational classifications make finer distinctions amongst men’s jobs tend to be under estimated.amongst men’s jobs tend to be under estimated.

4) Male clerks often see their present position as a 4) Male clerks often see their present position as a stepping stone to management, whereas female clerks stepping stone to management, whereas female clerks are much less likely to entertain ambitions ofare much less likely to entertain ambitions of promotion.promotion. Also, the manual/ non manual divide is less Also, the manual/ non manual divide is less significant for women, since they are mostly in service significant for women, since they are mostly in service work.work.

Men in the Workplace differences Men in the Workplace differences in behaviour at work…in behaviour at work… Men are more linear and factual thinkers, Men are more linear and factual thinkers,

while women on the other hand, tend to while women on the other hand, tend to think more conceptually and with think more conceptually and with associations.associations.

Men tend to be more direct, while women Men tend to be more direct, while women give orders using softened demands and give orders using softened demands and tag lines.tag lines.

Men can work with people they don’t like. Men can work with people they don’t like. Women generally can’t.Women generally can’t.

Some of these factors could be linked with Some of these factors could be linked with the Gray and Buffery study of Brain the Gray and Buffery study of Brain lateralization. Men supposedly use the right lateralization. Men supposedly use the right side of their brain more and women use the side of their brain more and women use the left side more this could affect some left side more this could affect some differences in behaviour at work.differences in behaviour at work.

Statistics!!Statistics!! Most men have a higher status in the workplace. Most men have a higher status in the workplace.

E.g. Most primary school teachers are female while E.g. Most primary school teachers are female while most head teachers are men.most head teachers are men.

50% of working women (and only 12% of men) are 50% of working women (and only 12% of men) are still mainly employed in administration, secretarial, still mainly employed in administration, secretarial, personal care and customer services.personal care and customer services.

Less than 1 in 3 managers are women.Less than 1 in 3 managers are women. 43 companies in the FTSE 100 index have no female 43 companies in the FTSE 100 index have no female

directors.directors. Occupational gender segregation refers to the fact Occupational gender segregation refers to the fact

that men and women are concentrated in different that men and women are concentrated in different jobs based on what is appropriate ‘male’ and jobs based on what is appropriate ‘male’ and ‘female’ work.‘female’ work.

Women workers have traditionally been Women workers have traditionally been concentrated in poorly paid and routine operations.concentrated in poorly paid and routine operations. Such as nursing, social work and child care. These Such as nursing, social work and child care. These jobs are referred to as ‘feminine’ occupations.jobs are referred to as ‘feminine’ occupations.

What has feminism done to What has feminism done to influence the workplace?influence the workplace? The Liberal Feminists believe that The Liberal Feminists believe that

people should have equal rights and that people should have equal rights and that people should be treated according to people should be treated according to their individual merits. their individual merits.

This is how the Equal Opportunities This is how the Equal Opportunities Commission came into place in the UK.Commission came into place in the UK.

This means Britain has removed several This means Britain has removed several gender discrimination barriers including gender discrimination barriers including in the workplace so that women can in the workplace so that women can achieve the rights that men already achieve the rights that men already possess. possess.

What rights have been put in What rights have been put in place for both men and women?place for both men and women?

The Equal Opportunities The Equal Opportunities Commission works to end Commission works to end Gender discrimination in the Gender discrimination in the workplace.workplace.

The Equal Pay Act 1970 entitles The Equal Pay Act 1970 entitles men and women to equal pay.men and women to equal pay.

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