I don’t know about the rest of you WoMos out there, but I read about this and had to take a deep breath.
We all know the gender pay gap exists, and I applaud the individuals and organisations who are working hard to close it. What infuriates me about the latest research is the statement that ‘women tend to work fewer hours than colleagues’.
I can’t speak for all WoMos but I presume, and will hazard a guess, that this research is based on number of hours physically sat in an office. I know as a WoMo, my drive for presenteeism has dropped since I have had children but the number of hours I work, as my career has grown, has increased.
I am on my laptop in the evening when my kids are in bed, I make calls in the car (on the hands free before you ask!), and from time to time I am sending emails from my phone with a baby under the other arm. I do it because my career is important to me.
I was surprised to read that ‘before having a child the average female worker earns 10 per cent to 15 per cent less per hour than a male employee. After childbirth that steadily increases to 33 per cent after around 12 years’. I think that could be the bit that hurts the most. For all those hours we (us WoMos) spend sending emails whilst watching Pingu, we are being paid less. Our kids are getting less of our time and our time isn’t being measured.
I know men, and women alike who spend time at work doing diddly squat. They are on email, they are on Facebook and they appear to be working. I’d love the detail on how these ‘hours’ are measured, but the actual time your bum is on your seat at your desk is far from accurate.
Read the full article here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2016/08/23/women-pay-a-high-price-at-work-if-they-have-children/
Image: Kevin George © 123RF.com