Women’s Contribution to the Workplace

Abstract

Women are a major contributor to the workforce. They work in both the formal and informal economies, at times out of choice, but for some women who work in the informal economy, due to limited choice. Their work patterns vary i.e. working full-time or part-time, opting in and out of the labour force and working in specific sectors that reflect their situations. The reasons for this are diverse and include economic factors, child and elder care responsibilities, educational levels, access/travel to the job and the ability to negotiate work patterns. There are other more recent trends that have influenced on how and why women work, these include the expected gaps in the labour market with older workers needing to retire and fewer individuals to replace them, low fertility rates, an increase in the racial diversity and ethnicity of the workforce and the continued disparity between pay. This chapter explores the resources that are available to women in their respective workplaces to improve on their well-being; to support them in work, despite constraints; and to sustain their job effectiveness.

This chapter is based on data collected independently by the author and represents solely her opinions and/or conclusions.