WORKING TO FIND A BETTER WORK LIFE

WOMEN LOST 1 MILLION MORE JOBS THAN MEN LAST YEAR. LET’S FIX THAT.

Pandemic shutdowns left more women unemployed than men as those with jobs juggled more demands than ever before: employment, child care and personal safety. Below three women write about a more flexible and accommodating work environment, the freedoms that are denied women in Iran and a crisis in child care.

For as long as we have been keeping track (and certainly before), women have faced employment inequities, in opportunity, education pathways and, of course, wages. So it is no surprise that during the pandemic women were disproportionately impacted by layoffs and job loss, causing what many have dubbed a “Shecession.”

While the play on words is cute, the reality it represents is not. In December 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, women lost 156,000 jobs while men gained 16,000. Women ended the year with 5.4 million fewer jobs than they had in February prior to the pandemic while men lost 4.4 million in that time frame. This is largely because traditionally female-dominated sectors — education, hospitality and retail — took the biggest hit, and continued to decline, as stayat-home orders swept our nation.

Additionally, many women in the workforce are also balancing the challenges of motherhood.

Women make up 94 percent of U.S. workers involuntarily working part-time due to childcare needs. Too often, our female employees are expected to juggle the duties of work, child care and home. And when the pandemic turned our world upside down, it has predominantly been women who shifted their schedules, worked from home with their children learning or playing in the background of their Zoom screen, or left their jobs all together.

With increased access to the vaccines, we are seeing COVID-19 restrictions continue to lift across the state. While we are turning a corner in the right direction, I can’t help but think we will see some permanent changes in the world of work as we know it.

We have proven that remote work is effective and productive. Hybrid virtual/in-person schedules will, and should, be the new norm. As will flexible hours. While I used to work traditional 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. hours, I now work 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. to accommodate child-care coverage, and from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. after my

son has gone to bed. How can we make these options available to more women, so we aren’t forced to choose between work and family, career and home?

Our general belief of which roles can be done remotely has expanded, providing more opportunity to work from home and be employed by companies outside of our typical geographic boundaries. And I may never again wear even a fraction of the formal business clothes I used to rely on daily as the lines between home and work have been blurred.

The pandemic upended the world of work. This is our chance to rebuild it with the opportunity for everyone to thrive. Disparities among women postpandemic will be even more stark. Those who can work from home will excel fairly quickly. But many will not be able to work from home. They will remain in traditionally lower-wage, lower opportunity positions. While these jobs are important and essential, it is also essential that the women in these positions are paid and treated fairly.

Positions that offer benefits like sick leave and subsidized child-care payments, stable scheduling for easier planning, opportunities for upward mobility, and competitive salaries are expected and deserved — not just nice to have. Job quality features are going to be more critical, and women are going to rightfully demand them. Last year, the San Diego Workforce Partnership developed a framework for job quality. At the time it was aspirational; now it is our imperative road map.

Ultimately, this “Shecession” must be followed by a “Shecovery” because SHE is the key to a successful economic recovery. This includes equitable pay and basic benefits for essential workers. For those looking for a career change, the Workforce Partnership can help with reskilling, training and education to open doors to new careers and new pathways.

We all hear our friends and family echoing the same question — “When will things return to normal?”— but what if instead we strive for something better than our previous normal? This is a moment where the decisions we make as a community, the investments we make as a region and the supports we provide as an organization can truly create a new normal that is equitable, balanced and compassionate.

As an employer, how might you modify your traditional workplace to be more flexible and accommodating? Which temporary pandemic changes can become permanent job features? Women can’t be expected to silently juggle it all. We all have a responsibility to start explicitly advocating for the equity in the workplace that women deserve.

Gross is vice president of client services at San Diego Workforce Partnership. She lives in San Carlos.

STEVE BREEEN U-T