Female-dominated workplaces offer less flexible timing

If you work in a female-dominated workplace, chances of having access to flexible working arrangements could be less and not more as commonly assumed, new research suggests. The study looked at individuals in 27 countries across the European Union.

It found that the best workplaces for providing flexibility were gender-neutral -- where men and women were equally represented. The research, published in the journal European Journal of Industrial Relations, provides evidence to 'reject the assumption' that women have better access to flexible working arrangements and that female-dominated workplaces are better at providing them, said researcher Heejung Chung of University of Kent in Britain.

"Working in female-dominated jobs and/or sectors significantly reduces access to schedule control for both men and women," the study said. It is commonly assumed that the low wages often found in female-dominated workplaces can be justified through better provision of family-friendly arrangements, but this research provides evidence that low wages are accompanied by worse working conditions for many.

The implication for policy makers is that the group of the population that may be in most need of flexible work arrangements may be unable to gain access to them.

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