Why Flex For All Could Vanquish the Gender Pay Gap

why we don’t have flex for all

If the US economy could save an estimated $15 billion annually if every firm adopted work flexibility and vanquish the gender pay gap, according to Harvard economist Claudia Goldin. So why don’t we have transparent flexible work practices for all?

It’s a worthwhile question to explore. Like many things, the answer is nuanced and layered. While companies know flexible working results in higher productivity, engagement, and retention, most do not have structured practices available to all. And those who do, rarely measure the results to improve upon flexible work practices.

women May benefit most

Most people would benefit from flexible work. While the reason for wanting to work flexibly should be agnostic, transparent, and readily available to employees regardless of gender or parental status, women may benefit most.

Women see the most devastating loss of income in our country. Flexible working can change that. On average a woman will make nearly $600,000 less than a man working the same span. This is due in large part to the difficult decisions women are forced to make as the primary caregivers to children and/or aging parents. Women drop out or fall back at the peak of their careers due to the lack of flexibility or support at work.

Michelle Obama said it best:

The measure of any society is how it treats its women and girls.

Across the world, women don’t receive equal education or career opportunities, they don’t have bodily autonomy, and they face violence throughout their lives. And women of color, poor women, and LGBTQ persons experience it more.

The Patriarchy in the U.S. is strong. On top of that, our workplaces designed during the Industrial Revolution when most women weren’t part of the workforce, reflect it.

how flex—and specifically job sharing—could impact the gender pay gap

When I began Work Muse, my main purpose was to spread job sharing so others could experience the work-life balance I had, but I now see with clarity that flexible work—and specifically job sharing—can directly affect gender equity in the workplace. WerkLabs pieced together research on how flexible work changes the equation for women. Here is what they uncovered:

there’s not a pipeline problem

Women make up 57% of the college-educated, entry-level workforce with a greater range of occupations than ever

there’s not an ambition problem

Only 6% of Fortune CEOs are women but nearly HALF of working women want to become CEOs or senior leaders

there’s a structural problem

Where the U.S. once led the world in working women, we now lag behind due to dated policies from the 1990s (if not the 1950s) and little change in culture to reflect the modern workforce. As primary caregivers to children or aging parents, they are forced to make difficult choices around career and caring. This is an issue nearly every woman will face as up to 90% of caregivers to aging parents in the U.S. are women.

without flexible work options, women suffer

Without flexible work options, women drop out or fall back to non-leadership roles. And those who leave to freelance forgo valuable benefits. 30% of talented women leave the workforce, but 70% would have stayed if they had access to flexibility. Flexibility is one of the top factors women care about during a job search. Gender diversity leads to better outcomes and increased profit and revenue. 

job sharing advances women in all areas

Any degree of flexible working makes a big difference in the lives of women, but job sharing uniquely allows them to separate and prioritize work and life, working half the week with a supportive partner while progressing in their careers. They often keep their crucial benefits and have the flexibility they need to care for human beings, while their employers have the 24/7 coverage needed with increased productivity, engagement, and loyalty.

FourAccrossHex

job sharing increases women’s ability to participate

With more time and bandwidth, women can up their game on boards, in non-profits and volunteer positions, at work, and in their children’s lives—creating a better society for all of us.

 

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Melissa Nicholson job shared for nearly a decade and is the Founder & CEO of Work Muse. Work Muse drives the adoption of job sharing in business as a source of competitive advantage while helping individuals find work-life balance. Join the #JobshareRevolution here.

 

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