Women deserve better: A discussion on COVID‐19 and the gendered organization in the new economy

Simisola Johnson

Gender, Work and Organization, 2022, vol. 29, issue 2, 639-649

Abstract: It is often thought that large‐scale shocks to society (e.g., war, epidemics, financial collapses etc) equalize societal inequalities, however, we have witnessed a one‐in‐century pandemic (and the economic downturn it has triggered), widen rather than narrow an enduring global injustice: gendered organizations. With women bearing the brunt of school closures, mass lay‐offs and increase in care duties due to lockdowns, racialized women at increased risk of COVID exposure due to essential worker status, and men reaping the benefits of rapid, technological transformations of the economy—largely amplified by pandemic disruptions—it appears that white, masculine bodies and abilities in the workforce are inoculated from the perils of disaster. Equality matters, especially in times of crisis. Following this idea, the author draws on Joan Acker's “ideal worker” concept to demonstrate how pandemic disparities in the workforce are challenging organizational practices, expectations, and experiences worldwide to evolve. This article concludes with a call for workplace policy reforms as a means to advance gender parity goals, as it is critical to achieving organizational inclusivity, and overall, a thriving society and economy post‐pandemic.

Date: 2022
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