The Gender Shift

January 18, 2011
The Gender Shift

Move over guys: in case you haven’t heard, women are dominating many workplaces. Now that we make up more than half of the workforce, will the rules change?

And if so, how?

Despite the shift, “too many talented women drop out of the workplace because it becomes too difficult to balance work and family life,” says activist and author of No Excuses Gloria Feldt.

“To change the system, you need to function like a movement. The next great wave of [feminism] should be for men and women to make these workplace changes together so both can earn a living and have a life.”

As women's work presence grows, traditional structures will likely shift to offer more support for things like childbirth, higher education and advancement up the ladder. “Have the courage to raise issues and concerns that need to be addressed,” says Feldt, adding that just a small group of women in an office who band together can help facilitate employee retention or change a particular policy.

What's next for working women? Experts anticipate better maternity leave policies, more female-focused marketing and more women in C-suite positions.

Bonus PINK Link: Now that women outnumber men at work, here’s how we can keep our authenticity at the top.

By Caroline Cox

"For what is done or learned by one class of women becomes, by virtue of their common womanhood, the property of all women." Elizabeth Blackwell

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