Fathers Are Overvalued Whilst Mothers Are Paid Less By Employers, New Study Reveals
Men who become fathers benefit from “overvaluation” in their professional lives whereas mothers experience the opposite, often undervalued by employers and underpaid as a result, according to new research.
Related Reading from Relocate Global
- Deconstructing the glass ceiling: women’s paths to leadership
- International Women’s Day 2024: inspiring inclusion
- Gender lessons from the top – How organisational hierarchies differ for women across borders
Dr van der Straaten states the disparity is a result of how gender identity is construed within organisations, as well as that women still hold 9% of senior level positions within the world’s largest MNEs.“While MNEs are widely recognized for providing employment to a significant number of women, work-life balance can be exceptionally challenging in such organisations because of travel, working across time zones and a typically competitive, masculine corporate culture. The reality of being a working parent is very different for mothers compared to fathers.” Dr van der Straaten says.Geography and culture may also come into play, with the study highlighting that the MNE’s home country might also play a role in gendered perspectives for subsidiary firms.The results challenge commonly held assumptions about the causes and cures of gender pay inequity related to women’s characteristics and life patterns.“Previous research suggests the wage gap could be due to reduced productivity at work as a result of a more demanding home life, whilst fathers are characterised as more committed, reliable and deserving than other male colleagues,” says Dr van der Straaten. “However, the absence of a larger penalty for mothers in MNEs compared to local firms proves that motherhood itself is not the only reason for gender inequality in the workplace.”Because of this, existing policies designed to help redress the balance between male and female workers such as offering flexibilities in working hours, whilst useful for many, do not fully address the core issue of gender parity.“Policies targeted at women may not lessen the positive biases towards men and masculine corporate cultures. A critical evaluation of gender-related policies, especially in multinationals seems necessary. Businesses could start by setting up their organisation for more gender equality by thinking who has the advantages, not just focusing on who is disadvantaged,” Dr van der Straaten says. “We are not only paying women too little; we are also paying men too much.”
Read the latest issue of Think Global People/Relocate magazine. Read your copy here.
Find out about becoming a Member of our Think Global People community and keep up with our latest events, webinars and podcasts.
Subscribe to Relocate Extra, our monthly newsletter, to get all the latest international assignments and global mobility news.Relocate’s new Global Mobility Toolkit provides free information, practical advice and support for HR, global mobility managers and global teams operating overseas.
©2024 Re:locate magazine, published by Profile Locations, Spray Hill, Hastings Road, Lamberhurst, Kent TN3 8JB. All rights reserved. This publication (or any part thereof) may not be reproduced in any form without the prior written permission of Profile Locations. Profile Locations accepts no liability for the accuracy of the contents or any opinions expressed herein.