Women's work

About: Women's work is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 1625 publications have been published within this topic receiving 33754 citations. The topic is also known as: woman's work.

When a Specialty Becomes "Women's Work": Trends in and Implications of Specialty Gender Segregation in Medicine.

Abstract: The gender composition of physician specialties varies dramatically with some becoming increasingly female predominant while others remain overwhelmingly male In their analysis of physician workforce data, the authors demonstrate that despite large increases in the number of female physicians over 4 decades, the degree of gender segregation between specialties has not declined The authors describe lessons from the highly gender-segregated US workforce as a whole to understand these demographic patterns in the physician workforce Echoing US workforce findings, women physicians are becoming overrepresented in certain specialties, and this appears to be associated with a relative decline in earnings for physicians in these specialties over time The authors found a strong negative relationship between the proportion of female physicians in a specialty and its mean salary, with gender composition explaining 64% of the variation in salaries among the medical specialtiesFemale physicians face biases in the workplace and fall behind male peers in leadership attainment, academic advancement, and earnings Tenacious gender stereotypes and the conflation of gender and status contribute to these biases and reinforce occupational gender segregation The clustering of women in certain specialties means these specialties will be disproportionately affected by gender bias Recognizing the consequences of gender demographics within physician specialties is important to maintain the strong and diverse physician workforce needed to support the health care needs of the populations who depend on these specialties for care

Nurses, nannies and caring work: importation, visibility and marketability

Abstract: This paper examines nurses’ international migration within the broader context of female migration, particularly against more studied groups of women who have migrated for employment in care-giving roles. We analyze the similarities and differences between skilled professional female migrants (nurses) and domestic workers (nannies and in-home caretakers) and how societal expectations, meanings, and values of care and ‘women’s work’, together with myriad social, cultural, economic and political processes, construct the female migrant care-giver experience. We argue that, as the recruitment of foreign workers gains visibility, strategies are introduced to better prepare female migrant care-givers for the marketplace. Language, specifically command of English and accent modification, is highlighted as one means to assimilate migrant care-givers to host communities.

Masculinity and Non-Traditional Occupations: Men's Talk in Women's Work

Abstract: Occupation segregation is a persistent aspect of the labour market, and scholars have often researched what happens when women and men enter into what are seen to be ‘non-traditional’ work roles for their sex. Research on men within women's roles has concentrated mainly on the challenges to a masculine identity, while research on workplace language has focused on women's linguistic behaviour in masculine occupations. To date, there has been relatively little research into the linguistic behaviour of men working in occupations seen as women's work (e.g., nursing, primary school teaching). To address this gap, this article focuses on men's discursive behaviour and identity construction within the feminized occupation of nursing. Empirical data collected by three male nurses in a hospital in Northern Ireland is explored using discourse analysis and the Community of Practice paradigm. This paper discusses how the participants linguistically present themselves as nurses by performing relational work and creating an in-group with their nurse colleagues by actively using an inherently ‘feminine’ discourse style.

Through the magnifying glass: Women's work and labour force participation in urban Delhi

Abstract: This paper seeks to explore the nature of women's workforce participation in urban Delhi through a household survey carried out in Delhi during a three month period between September 2006 and November 2006. It also attempts to identify key factors influencing women's decision to work, the type of work they do, the constraints they face, and the perceived benefits and costs of engaging in paid work outside the home. In doing so, issues surrounding the methodology and underestimation of women's work are also tackled. The survey estimates a greater female workforce participation rate than recorded in the NSS. This suggests that undercounting and perception bias can be overcome through intensive probing as was done here. A key finding is that most working women do not have access to paid leave or provident fund. This reflects the informality that surrounds women's work. The key factors which appear to push up women's workforce participation rates include higher education, reduction in time spent on housework (domestic technology, water and electricity, child care arrangements), and safety in public spaces (transport, lighting). Results stress the role of variables beyond the labour market and work space in influencing women's access to work opportunities. The time spent on care work is high, and working women are not able to reduce their house responsibilities very much. The results confirm that the decision to work outside the home is usually a function of the preferences of the marital home. The study suggests the need to understand the familial and household context within which labourmarket decisions are made. The role of family and kinship structures to determine women's work-life choices emerge as an important area for further study.