Women's share in employment: In the game but with only half the time

Abstract

"The extent to which women are employed has increased continuously and appears at first sight to be approaching that of men. However if all one does is count heads one gets an imperfect picture of the participation of women and men in the world of work. A deeper insight into the participation of women and men in employment can be provided by information on volumes of work, the product of the number of persons in employment and working time. Measured this way, women clearly participate less than men. The reason for this is to be seen in the high and strongly increasing share of women in part-time work. This participation is bought with disadvantages in income, career and social security. It may be that part-time work would appear to correspond to the wishes of women but this is often only because they have no alternative way of combining professional and family interests on account of unfavourable framework conditions. If gainful employment and work for the family are to be distributed more evenly between partners, the traditional image of the family will have to change fundamentally. The prerequisites for this - and thus also for more equality - are the increase in the offer of childcare possibilities - for pre-school children as well as for the first years at school - and family-friendly places of work." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Cite article

Wanger, S. (2009): Erwerbsbeteiligung von Frauen: Mit halben Zeiten im Spiel. In: IAB-Forum No. 1, p. 10-17. DOI:10.3278/IFO0901W010