Abstract
This chapter discusses the work trends that may impact if and how women’s labour activity will differ in the future. These include: an ageing population; the feminisation of poverty; the support of decent and innovative work; social and cultural constraints; the increase in virtual working and the boundaryless workplace. While these last two factors may address work-life balance, they could lead to an increased blurring between work and home, in which demands (home and work) are increased and social support is decreased. The chapter explores further some of the challenges to women’s career advancement and sustainability in terms of leadership, pay and work patterns. Other social issues will be explored such as schools still having set times, which do not align with the work patterns of those women who choose to work full-time.
This chapter is based on data collected independently by the author and represents solely her opinions and/or conclusions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
AFL-CIO. (n.d.). Long and winding road to equal pay national summary table. Retrieved from http://www.pay-equity.org/PDFs/payequitysummarytable.pdf. Accessed 18 Oct 2014.
Aguirre, D., Hoteit, L., Rupp, C., & Sabbagh, K. (2012). Empowering the third billion women and the World of work in 2012. Booz & Company Inc. http://www.strategyand.pwc.com/media/file/Strategyand_Empowering-the-Third-Billion_Full-Report.pdf. Accessed 21 Sept 2014.
Ala-Mursula, L., Vahtera, J., Kivimäki, M., Kevin, M. V., & Pentti, J. (2002). Employee control over working times: Associations with subjective health and sickness absences. Journal of Epidemiological and Community Health, 56(4), 272–278. doi:10.1136/jech.56.4.272.
Alzheimer’s Association. (2014). Alzheimer’s disease facts and figures. Alzheimer’s & Dementia, 10(2). Retrieved from http://www.alz.org/downloads/Facts_Figures_2014.pdf. Accessed 20 Sept 2014.
Bashir, N., Crisp, R., Gore, T., Reeve, K., & Robinson, D. (2011). Families and work: Revisiting barriers to employment. Research report No 729. Department for Work and Pensions. Retrieved from http://www.shu.ac.uk/research/cresr/sites/shu.ac.uk/files/families-work-barriers-employment.pdf. Accessed 19 Oct 2014.
Brodolini, F. G. (2011). Gender equality in caring responsibilities over the lifecycle. European Commission. http://ec.europa.eu/justice/gender-equality/files/conference_sept_2011/background-paperiii-equality-in-caring_en.pdf. Accessed 01 Nov 2014.
Burchell, B., & Fagan, C. (2004). Gender and the intensification of work: Evidence from the European working conditions surveys. Eastern Economic Journal, 30(4), 627–642.
Burchell, B., Fagan, C., O’Brien, C., & Smith, M. (2007). Working conditions in the European Union: The gender perspective. European foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. Retrieved from http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/pubdocs/2007/108/en/1/ef07108en.pdf. Accessed 13 Sept 2014.
Burchell, B., Cartron, D., Csizmadia, P., Delcampe, S., Gollac, M., Illéssy, M., et al. (2009). Working conditions in the European Union: Working time and work intensity. European foundation for the improvement of living and working conditions. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities. Retrieved from http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/pubdocs/2009/27/en/1/EF0927EN.pdf. Accessed 13 Sept 2014.
Burke, R. J., & Fiksenbaum, L. (2009). Are managerial women in “extreme jobs” disadvantaged? Gender in Management: An International Journal, 24(1), 5–13. doi:10.1108/17542410910930716.
Canning, J., Haque, M., & Wang, Y. (2012). Women at the wheel: Do female executives drive start-up success? Dow Jones and Company Inc. Retrieved from http://www.dowjones.com/collateral/files/WomenPE_report_final.pdf. Accessed 27 Sept 2014.
Carter, N. M., & Wagner, H. M. (2011). The bottom line: Corporate performance and women’s representation on boards (2004–2008). Catalyst Inc. Retrieved from http://www.catalyst.org/system/files/the_bottom_line_corporate_performance_and_women%27s_representation_on_boards_%282004-2008%29.pdf. Accessed 27 Sept 2014.
Cascio, W. F. (1998). The virtual workplace: A reality now. The Industrial-Organizatonal Psychologist (TIP), 35(4). Retrieved from http://www.siop.org/tip/backissues/TIPApril98/Cascio.aspx. Accessed 20 Sept 2014.
Cascio, W. F. (2000). Managing a virtual workplace. Academy of Management Executive, 14(3), 81–90.
Catalyst Inc. (2014a). High-potential women in Europe. Underutilized talent. Catalyst Inc. Retrieved from http://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/high-potential-women-europe. Accessed 27 Sept 2014.
Catalyst Inc. (2014b). Women CEOs of the Fortune 1000. Catalyst Inc. Retrieved from http://www.catalyst.org/knowledge/women-ceos-fortune-1000. Accessed 19 Sept 2014.
Cha, Y. (2013). Overwork and the persistence of gender segregation in occupations. Gender & Society, 27(2), 158–184. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0891243212470510.
Chenoweth, D. (2011). Promoting employee well-being: Wellness strategies to improve health, performance and the bottom line. Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM). Alexandria: SHRM Foundation. Retrieved from http://www.shrm.org/about/foundation/products/documents/6-11%20promoting%20well%20being%20epg-%20final.pdf. Accessed 27 May 2013.
Cuberes, D., & Teignier-Baqué, M. (2011). Gender inequality and economic growth. World Development Report 2012. Background Paper. Retrieved from http://disde.minedu.gob.pe/xmlui/bitstream/handle/123456789/1418/Gender%20Inequality%20and%20Economic%20Growth.pdf?sequence=1. Accessed 18 Oct 2014.
Daniels, L. (2011). Job sharing at senior level: Making it work. Capability Jane. Retrieved from http://candidates.capabilityjane.com/sites/default/files/uploads/Report%20-%20Job%20Share%20Summary%20Report.pdf. Accessed 15 Sept 2014.
Devillard, S., Sancier, S., Werner, C., Maller, I., & Kossoff, C. (2013). Women matter 2013. Gender diversity in top management: Moving corporate culture, moving boundaries. McKinsey & Company. Retrieved from http://www.mckinsey.de/sites/mck_files/files/womenmatter_13.pdf. Accessed 13 Sept 2014.
Eagly, A. H., & Karau, S. J. (2002). Role congruity theory of prejudice toward female leaders. Psychological Review, 109(3), 573–598. doi:10.1037//0033-295X.109.3.573.
Elborgh-Woytek, K., Newiak, M., Kochhar, K., Fabrizio, S., Kpodar, K., Wingender, P., et al. (2013). Women, work, and the economy: Macroeconomic gains from gender equity (SDN/13/10). Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund. Retrieved from http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/sdn/2013/sdn1310.pdf. Accessed 21 Sept 2014.
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. (2013). New risks and trends in the safety and health of women at work. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. Retrieved from https://osha.europa.eu/en/publications/reports/new-risks-trends-osh-women. Accessed 27 May 2013.
European Commission. (2011). Tackling the pay gap between women and men. Retrieved from http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/employment_and_social_policy/equality_between_men_and_women/c10161_en.htm. Accessed 18 Oct 2014.
European Commission. (2014). Tackling the gender pay gap in the European Union. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union. doi:10.2838/42323. Accessed 18 Oct 2014.
European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. (2011). European company survey 2009. Part-time work in Europe. Retrieved from http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/pubdocs/2010/86/en/3/EF1086EN.pdf. Accessed 23 Aug 2014.
Fagan, C., Lyonette, C., Smith, M., & Saldaña-Tejeda, A. (2012). The influence of working time arrangements on work-life integration or ‘balance’: A review of the international evidence (Conditions of work and employment research series No. 32). Geneva, Switzerland: International Labour Office. Retrieved from http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_protect/---protrav/---travail/documents/publication/wcms_187306.pdf. Accessed 24 Sept 2014.
Fathy El Dessouky, N. (2011). The virtual workplace: A new alternative merging technology and policy for more environmental, economic and social sustainability. Paper presented at the 15th world multi-conference on systemics, cybernetics and informatics: WMSCI 2011, July 19th–July 22nd, 2011, Orlando. Retrieved from http://www.iiis.org/CDs2011/CD2011SCI/SCI_2011/PapersPdf/SA409CC.pdf. Accessed 19 Oct 2014.
Finnish National Board of Education. (n.d.). Early childhood education. Retrieved from http://www.oph.fi/english/education_system/early_childhood_education. Accessed 19 Oct 2014.
Frome, P. M., Alfeld, C. J., Eccles, J. S., & Barber, B. L. (2006). Why don’t they want a male-dominated job? An investigation of young women who changed their occupational aspirations. Educational Research and Evaluation, 12(4), 359–372. doi:10.1080/13803610600765786.
Gershuny, J., & Fisher, K. (2014). Post-industrious society: Why work time will not disappear for our grandchildren. Sociology working papers paper number 2014–03, Centre for Time Use Research, Department of Sociology, University of Oxford. Retrieved from http://www.sociology.ox.ac.uk/materials/papers/wp20143.pdf. Accessed 20 Sept 2014.
Ghosh, J. (2014). Financial crises and their gendered employment impact. Emerging trends and past experiences. In R. Antonopoulos (Ed.), Gender perspectives and the gender impacts of the global economic crisis (pp. 17–48). London/New York: Routledge.
Grant Thornton. (2013). Women in senior management. Setting the stage for growth. Grant Thornton International Business Report 2013. Grant Thornton International Ltd. Retrieved from http://www.gti.org/files/ibr2013_wib_report_final.pdf. Accessed 27 Sept 2014.
Hay Group. (2013). Stop blaming women: Prescribing a 21st century approach to gender diversity. Retrieved from http://www.haygroup.com/downloads/uk/stop%20blaming%20women%20-%20gender%20diversity%20viewpoint.pdf. Accessed 27 Sept 2014.
Hewlett, S. A., & Rashid, R. (2010). The battle for female talent in emerging markets. Harvard Business Review, 88(5), 101–106. Retrieved from http://asiasociety.org/files/pdf/101206_HBR_BattleForFemaleTalent.pdf. Accessed 27 Sept 2014.
Hewlett, S. A., & Rashid, R. (2011). Winning the war for talent in emerging markets. Why women are the solution. Boston: Harvard Business Review Press.
Institute for Women’s Policy Research. (2013). Gender wage gap projected to close in year 2058. Retrieved from http://www.iwpr.org/publications/pubs/gender-wage-gap-projected-to-close-in-year-2058-most-women-working-today-will-not-see-equal-pay-during-their-working-lives/at_download/file. Accessed 18 Oct 2014.
International Labour Organization. (1995). Women work more, But are still paid less. Geneva, Switzerland: International Labour Office. Retrieved from http://www.ilo.org/global/about-the-ilo/newsroom/news/WCMS_008091/lang--en/index.htm. Accessed 19 Sept 2014.
International Labour Organization. (2010). Women in labour markets: Measuring progress and identifying challenges. Geneva, Switzerland: International Labour Office. Retrieved from http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---emp_elm/---trends/documents/publication/wcms_123835.pdf. Accessed 16 Aug 2014.
International Labour Organization. (2011). Work-life balance. Governing Body GB.312/POL/4, 312th Session, Geneva, November 2011. Geneva: International Labour Office. Retrieved from http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---relconf/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_163642.pdf. Accessed 27 Sept 2014.
International Labour Organization. (2012). Women’s entrepreneurship development. The ILO approach to women’s entrepreneurship development – Sustainable enterprises. Retrieved from http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_emp/---emp_ent/---ifp_seed/documents/publication/wcms_175471.pdf. Accessed 01 Nov 2014.
International Labour Organization. (2014a). Maternity and paternity at work. Law and practice across the world. Geneva, Switzerland: International Labour Office. Retrieved from http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---publ/documents/publication/wcms_242615.pdf. Accessed 17 Aug 2014.
International Labour Organization. (2014b). World of work report 2014: Developing with jobs. Geneva, Switzerland: International Labour Office. Retrieved from http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/documents/publication/wcms_243961.pdf. Accessed 16 Aug 2014.
International Monetary Fund. (2012). Country report No. 12/208, Japan. Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund. Retrieved from http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/scr/2012/cr12208.pdf. Accessed 21 Sept 2014.
Isaac, C., Kaatz, A., Lee, B., & Carnes, M. (2012). An educational intervention designed to increase women’s leadership self-efficacy. CBE Life Sciences Education, 11(3), 307–322. doi:10.1187/cbe.12-02-0022.
Jewitt, S., & Ryley, H. (2014). It’s a girl thing: Menstruation, school attendance, spatial mobility and wider gender inequalities in Kenya. Geoforum, 56, 137–147. doi:10.1016/j.geoforum.2014.07.006.
Kabeer, N. (2005). Is microfinance a ‘Magic Bullet’ for women’s empowerment? Analysis of findings from South Asia. Economic and Political Weekly, 40(44/45), 4709–4718. doi:10.2307/4417357.
Kan, M. Y., Gershuny, J., & Sullivan, O. (2011). Gender convergence in domestic work: Discerning the effects of interactional and institutional barriers from large-scale data. Sociology, 45(2), 234–251. doi:10.1177/0038038510394014.
Kessler, L. T. (2007). Keeping discrimination theory front and center in the discourse over work and family conflict. Pepperdine Law Review, 34(2), 313–332. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.pepperdine.edu/plr/vol34/iss2/10. Accessed 05 Oct 2014.
Lorenz, K. (2007). Equal pay for women? Not till 2050. CareerBuilder, LLC. Retrieved from http://www.careerbuilder.com/article/cb-709-getting-ahead-equal-pay-for-women-not-til-2050/. Accessed 21 Sept 2014.
Martin, P., & Barnard, A. (2013). The experience of women in male-dominated occupations: A constructivist grounded theory inquiry. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology/SA Tydskrif vir Bedryfsielkunde, 39(2), Art. #1099, 12 pages. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/sajip.v39i2.1099
Merkes, M. (2003). Women’s working futures – Views, policies and choices. Foresight, 5(6), 53–60. doi:10.1109/14636680310508991.
Miranda, V. (2011). Cooking, caring and volunteering: Unpaid work around the world. OECD social, employment and migration working papers, No. 116, OECD Publishing. doi: 10.1787/5kghrjm8s142-en
Nylén, L., Voss, M., & Floderus, B. (2001). Mortality among women and men relative to unemployment, part time work, overtime work, and extra work: A study based on data from the Swedish twin registry. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 58(1), 52–57. doi:10.1136/oem.58.1.52.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2002). Early childhood education and care policy in Finland. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/finland/2476019.pdf. Accessed 19 Oct 2014.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2010). OECD employment outlook 2010. Moving beyond the jobs crisis. doi: 10.1787/19991266. Retrieved from http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/employment/oecd-employment-outlook-2010_empl_outlook-2010-en. Accessed 23 Aug 2014.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2011a). Report on the gender initiative: Gender equality in education, employment and entrepreneurship. Meeting of the OECD Council at Ministerial Level Paris, 25–26 May 2011. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/education/48111145.pdf. Accessed 27 Sept 2014.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2011b). The future of families to 2030. A synthesis report. Retrieved from http://www.oecd.org/futures/49093502.pdf. Accessed 18 Oct 2014.
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2012). Closing the gender gap. Act now. doi: 10.1787/9789264179370-en. Retrieved from http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/social-issues-migration-health/close-the-gender-gap-now_9789264179370-en. Accessed 27 Sept 2014.
Pensions Policy Institute. (2009). Pension facts. In Ritchie, A. (2010). Equal pay and pensions: The role of trade union reps in addressing women’s inequality in retirement. Close the gap. Retrieved from http://www.closethegap.org.uk/content/resources/Pensions-briefing.pdf. Accessed 18 Oct 2014.
Pines, A. M., Lerner, M., & Schwartz, D. (2010). Gender differences in entrepreneurship: Equality, diversity and inclusion in times of global crisis. Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: An International Journal, 29(2), 186–198. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/02610151011024493.
Ritchie, A. (2010). Equal pay and pensions: The role of trade union reps in addressing women’s inequality in retirement. Close the gap. Retrieved from http://www.closethegap.org.uk/content/resources/Pensions-briefing.pdf. Accessed 18 Oct 2014.
Saurin, R., Ratcliffe, J., & Puybaraud, M. (2008). Tomorrow’s workplace: A futures approach using prospective through scenarios. Journal of Corporate Real Estate, 10(4), 243–261. doi:10.1108/14630010810925118.
Shen, C., & Williamson, J. B. (1999). Maternal mortality, women’s status, and economic dependency in less developed countries: A cross-national analysis. Social Science & Medicine, 49(2), 197–214. doi:10.1016/S0277-9536(99)00112-4.
Slaughter, A-M. (2012, June 13). Why women still can’t have it all. The Atlantic. Retrieved from http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2012/07/why-women-still-cant-have-it-all/309020/. Accessed 10 Oct 2014.
Sperling, J., Marcati, C., & Rennie, M. (2014). Women matter 2014. GCC Women in leadership – From the first to the norm. McKinsey & Company. Retrieved from http://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKinsey%20Offices/Middle%20East/Latest%20thinking/GCC_Women_In_Leadership_FINAL.ashx. Accessed 13 Sept 2014.
Steinberg, C., & Nakane, M. (2012). Can women save Japan? (IMF working paper 12/48). Washington, DC: International Monetary Fund. Retrieved from https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/wp/2012/wp12248.pdf. Accessed 13 Sept 2014.
Taylor, C. J. (2010). Occupational sex composition and the gendered availability of workplace support. Gender & Society, 24(2), 189–212. doi:10.1177/0891243209359912.
The Economist. (2014, March 29). Japanese women and work. Holding back half the Nation. The Economist Newspaper Limited 2014. Retrieved from http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21599763-womens-lowly-status-japanese-workplace-has-barely-improved-decades-and-country. Accessed 20 Sept 2014.
United Nations. (2010). The World’s women 2010. Trends and statistics. New York: United Nations. Retrieved from http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/Worldswomen/WW_full%20report_color.pdf. Accessed 25 May 2013.
United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. (2010). Why care matters for social development (UNRISD research and policy brief 9). Geneva, Switzerland: United Nations Research Institute for Social Development. Retrieved from www.unrisd.org/publications/rpb9e. Accessed 21 Sept 2014.
Vahtera, J., Kivimaki, M., Pentti, J., & Theorell, T. (2000). Effect of change in the psychosocial work environment on sickness absence: A seven year follow up of initially healthy employees. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, 54(7), 484–493. doi:10.1136/jech.54.7.484.
van der Smitte, J. (2013). Short introduction to the pension system in the Netherlands. ÖSB Consulting, the Institute for Employment Studies (IES) & Applica. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=10403&langId=en. Accessed 12 Oct 2014.
Venema, V. (2014, March 4). The Indian sanitary pad revolutionary. BBC World Service. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26260978. Accessed 20 Sept 2014.
Waddell, G., & Burton, A. K. (2006). Is work good for your health and well-being? Norwich, UK: Department for Work and Pensions, The Stationery Office. Retrieved from http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/hwwb-is-work-good-for-you.pdf. Accessed 26 Mar 2013.
Williams, C. L. (1992). The glass escalator: Hidden advantages for men in the “female” professions. Social Problems, 39(3), 253–267. http://dx.doi.org/10.1525/sp.1992.39.3.03x0034h.
World Bank. (2011). World development report 2012. Gender equality and development. Washington, DC: The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development/The World Bank. Retrieved from http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTWDR2012/Resources/7778105-1299699968583/7786210-1315936222006/Complete-Report.pdf. Accessed 26 Mar 2013.
Wunsch, C., & Raman, J. V. (2010). Mandatory retirement in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States of America. London: TAEN – The Age and Employment Network. Retrieved from http://taen.org.uk/uploads/resources/Combined_dissertation_final_formatted.pdf. Accessed 12 Oct 2014.
Young, G., Fort, L., & Danner, M. (1994). Moving from ‘the status of women’ to ‘gender inequality’: Conceptualisation, social indicators and an empirical application. International Sociology, 9(1), 55–85. doi:10.1177/026858094009001005.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Gervais, R.L. (2016). Women at Work: Challenges for the Future. In: Gervais, R., Millear, P. (eds) Exploring Resources, Life-Balance and Well-Being of Women Who Work in a Global Context. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31736-6_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31736-6_15
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-31734-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-31736-6
eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)