Look to women for skills
STUDY: EVEN IF MORE QUALIFIED THAN MEN, FEMALES OVERLOOKED FOR JOBS
Findings dispel myth that all working mothers want to work remotely, or half-days.
South African women are better qualified than men but are not as often employed, according to a new study that also dispels many myths about women in the workplace, such as that they only want to work from home or just half a day.
SA’s largest Working Women Report’s findings shed light on the challenges and opportunities for women in the workforce, and provides recommendations for businesses to tackle skills shortages by tapping into the underutilised skilled female talent pool.
The study, commissioned by recruitment agency RecruitMyMom, was conducted online in November 2023 and 2 468 skilled women between the ages of 18 and 64 who live predominantly in Gauteng, the Western Cape and KwaZulu-Natal participated.
According to the results, women are underrepresented in the labour force, trailing behind men by 10.6 percentage points and represent only 15% of executives at JSE-listed companies, despite 92% of the participants expressing a strong desire to work and 78% aspiring to career growth.
The study indicated that women outpace men in educational qualifications, constituting 52% of postgraduate education and 47% within Stem (science, technology, engineering, and maths) fields at various academic levels.
It also showed that 45% of the participants are actively seeking alternative employment due to a lack of internal career opportunities, pay discrimination, inflexibility and insufficient mentorship and networking opportunities.
“In a country with limited data, we now have quantitative insights that unveil the expectations and preferences of working women in the workplace,” says Phillipa Geard, CEO and founder of RecruitMyMom.
“The report provides a wealth of insights for businesses aiming to attract and retain top female talent, encouraging a culture of diversity, inclusion, and economic empowerment.”
Contrary to assumptions, the study’s findings challenge stereotypes related to what drives the female workforce, motherhood, career advancement and career pauses, Geard says.
“Women are highly motivated to work and identify financial income, self-worth, their contribution to society and social interactions as the main drivers.
“The overwhelming majority mentioned financial income as their primary or secondary motivation for employment, driven by the desire for financial independence and the ability to support their families.”
The significance of competitive and fair financial reward is evident, as 80% of working respondents have dependants – children or family – and 38% are sole household income earners, while 21% are married and financially support their partners as the sole income earners.
A considerable 28% care for children and relatives, known as the sandwich generation, where working women face the challenge of assisting their family members in different life stages.
The findings also dispel the assumption that all working mothers want to work remotely, parttime, or only half-day, with 55% of the participants preferring to work full-time, regardless of age, to support their need for financial gain and aspiration for career growth.
Of the participants who want to work full-time, 32% prefer a full week, 23% seek full-time with a shorter week and the remainder shorter work days and hours.
Geard says although mothers need flexibility to integrate their work and home life, 60% prefer a hybrid working model. “Flexibility also emerges as a critical factor for career progression, with 60% of participants at the executive level valuing flexible working hours.” –