A new study reports that when a man asked to work from home two days a week to take care of his child, nearly 25 percent of human resources representatives found him to be “extremely likable” and less than 3 percent thought he wasn’t committed to the job. The same can’t be said for women, however.
When a woman made the same request, only 3 percent found her to be likable and more than 15% thought she wasn’t committed to her work. What’s even more disturbing about this study is that nearly 70 percent of participants said they would be likely to approve the man’s request, while only 57 percent said they would approve it for a woman.
Is Gender Still a Barrier for Women to Advance?
It’s a given that gender is still potentially a barrier to advancement for women, but why on earth does it cause problems with scheduling? According to “The Flexibility Stigma,” a June special issue of the Journal of Social Issues, women employed in low-status jobs who need childcare are among the least likely to be granted flexible work schedules. On the other hand, men in high-status positions are the most likely to be given flextime —particularly if the request is for career advancement reasons.
While women with flexible work arrangements are seen as being less dedicated to their careers, it is important to keep in mind that it’s women in particular that have to ask a lot more than men, because they have the greater burden of responsibility for child care and elder care more than men do.
How can we help empower women in the workplace,
as well as help them balance their careers and family obligations?
It starts with understanding and working with them to succeed both on an off the job. It is up to us to take this conversation to the workplace, and help one another achieve a work-life balance.
Source
- Read more about this study at TheDailyBeast.com
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Related Articles on Other Websites:
- Women Who Ask For A Flexible Work Schedule Come Off As Less Likeable and Committed – ThinkProgress.org
- Dads, Not Moms, Benefit From Flexible Work – The Washington Post