Photo courtesy of Michal Hadasshah
Here in the US we have experienced a surge in the number of women getting college degrees and keeping their jobs v. men through the recession. It would seem that with almost equal numbers of men and women at work now (for details see these Department of Labor statistics), gender issues in the workplace are a thing of the past.
Not so according to a recent Reuters study.
Women At Work:
The article published in Sawubona (official magazine of South African airlines), reported that of the 24,000 people in 23 countries surveyed, there were some surprising findings:
- One in four believe a woman’s place is in the home,
- People from India, Turkey, Japan, China, Russia, Hungary and South Korea agreed that women should not work, and
- Young people (ages 18-34) were the ones most likely to hold this view versus older generations.
Not surprising was that of the US respondents, 75% disagreed that a woman’s place is in the home. A full 90% and higher of those surveyed in Argentina, France, Mexico, Sweden and Brazil also disagreed.
Are women in trouble? Is this study pointing to a trend in the way future generations will approach work and career? I tend to think not -- in the US anyway. Working mothers are the primary or co-breadwinners in 2/3rds of US family households (according to The Shriver Report). Even for those who would prefer to stay home that is sometimes not a choice.
As the economies across the world bounce back, time will tell the full impact of attitudes towards women and work. As I noted in a recent article on gender stereotypes, most are myths that linger more in people minds than in reality. Time will tell if this study is just a myth or an indicator of workplace trends to come.
Weigh in and comment with your thoughts. Do you feel women belong at work, in the home or somewhere in between? Are you seeing gender-related issues in your workplace?
Maggie Mistal is a certified career & life purpose coach and the host of "Making a Living with Maggie," which airs every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Martha Stewart Living Radio, Sirius 112, XM 157. Please visit her website at MaggieMistal.com.
From: Maggie Mistal | 7/6/10 at 5:51 pm
Found this fascinating article which adds further insight into appropriate roles of men and women at work and at home. Worthy read! http://bit.ly/bcTgQE