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Semelhante a NYU Guest Lecture on Intersectionality and Work-Life Integration
Semelhante a NYU Guest Lecture on Intersectionality and Work-Life Integration (20)
NYU Guest Lecture on Intersectionality and Work-Life Integration
- 1. Women and Men in the Workplace Week 3: Intersectionality and Work-Life Integration June 10, 2015 1
- 2. Anna Beninger, Director, Research, Catalyst Lead global longitudinal study of high-potential employees Member of the Work-Life Issues Specialty Team BA in Psychology, Claremont McKenna College Honors thesis on negotiation and the gender wage gap MSc in Social and Cultural Psychology, London School of Economics and Political Science Masters thesis on women in academia and work/life balance in the U.S., U.K., Australia, and Sweden About Me 2
- 3. Presentation Outline due next week, June 17th Topic: general topic and specific focus Articles & Materials: list of resources you are planning to use Presentation Format: format and components of your presentation (e.g., PPT and video clip, or PPT and group activity) Any Additional Information: technology you’ll need, which day you would prefer to present (July 1st or 8th) Email Professor Sabattini with any questions 3 Reminder: Presentation Outline
- 4. Rituals in the Workplace “Ritual” broadly refers to ‘any form of patterned, repetitive behavior, with particular attention to interactive strategies or status enhancement’ (Auslander, 2003) Rituals communicate and instill shared values and understanding of organizational culture Assignment: identify and observe 1 or more workplace ‘rituals’ Examples include staff meetings, holiday parties, after work drinks, lunch or coffee breaks, emergency late-night team work If not currently working, observe in a different workplace 4 For Next Week: Homework
- 5. Intersectionality Which social identities or roles are particularly salient to you at this stage of your life? In what ways do different dimensions of identity affect your day- to-day experiences? How do these dimensions intersect? Please provide examples of contexts/situations where particular dimensions of your identity are more salient. Also consider examples of contexts/situations where particular dimensions remain in the background. 5 This Week’s Homework
- 6. 6 My Response Introvert Woman Daughter Caucasian Tall Millennial Middle-Upper Class Research Expert Friend Straight American Masters Graduate Blonde Sister Baker Canadian Liberal Public Speaker Driven Learner Teacher
- 7. Pick a partner, any partner Spent 3 minutes getting to know each other by discovering the most unusual thing you have in common When I say, “SWITCH,” find a new partner and repeat the activity. Do it one more time. In the larger group, we’ll ask for duos to share the most unusual things in common. 7 Exercise
- 8. Sociological Concept: enables us to approach people’s experiences and identities on multiple levels determined by different axes of cultural and social stratification Interrelationship between different aspects of identity E.g., gender, race/ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, SES, generation, educational background, profession Deeply connected to work-life issues (second part of lecture) Identity includes cultural background, work-life stage, class Impacts individual personal and professional priorities and how you integrate work and life Video example 8 Intersectionality
- 9. Identity Personal identity: self-knowledge that derives from the individual’s unique attributes (e.g., intelligent, hard-working) Social identity: membership in social groups (e.g., African American, Christian) Not all groups are equally important to our sense of self Identity Salience The likelihood that a particular identity will be invoked in different situations (Terry et al., 1995) The meanings people attach to their membership in specific social groups varies with context and throughout the life course 9 Social Identity
- 10. In-group vs. out-group Social identity hinges on individuals prioritizing “we” vs. “I” Membership in a social group leads one to favor their in-group at the expense of the out-group by placing higher value on their in- group This favoritism is most likely to occur when an in-group is central to one’s identity and a comparison out-group is meaningful (Tajfel and Turner, 1986) Stereotyping emerges from this categorization People exaggerate similarities within groups and differences b/t groups 10 Social Identity in Context
- 11. 11 Implications for the Workplace Class/socioeconomic status intersecting with educational background heavily impacts the kinds of work people have access to, and subsequently how they are treated For those whose identities do not include being part of a dominant group (e.g., white, male, straight), barriers remain in the workplace: Outsider status or “otherness” Lack of role models and sponsors Exclusion from informal networks critical to accessing “hot jobs”
- 12. Think about a group or social category you belong to… with which you do identify. with which you don't identify. with which you actively dis-identify. Pair up with the person sitting next to you to discuss Consider: What factors affect your level of identification? How do you feel when a group with which you identify is associated with something good? Or something bad? We’ll come back as a whole group to share Think, Pair, Share 12
- 14. Construction of “separate spheres” Work/public vs. family/private Variations (e.g., social class, generation, global region) Issues of “choice” in managing work and personal life Choices constrained by structures, roles, barriers E.g., norms dictating women should be primarily responsible for housework and childcare Achieving Integration: policies/programs vs. cultural norms Multiple dimensions of flexibility When, Where, How Much, With Whom Work-Life & Identity 14
- 15. 15 Catalyst Research: Flexibility vs. Face Time MYTH: FWAs are still the exception, not the rule • FWA programs have become the norm at most organizations • 81% of respondents reported that their current firm offers FWAs of some kind MYTH: Only young, entry-level employees working at small, nonprofit firms value FWAs • High potentials throughout the pipeline and across organizations want FWAs • The mean age of high potentials who reported FWAs were very or extremely important to them was 41 years old • At every leadership level, and across almost all firm sizes, more than half of all high potentials reported FWAs were very or extremely important to them MYTH: FWAs are only important to people with children • There was no difference in perceived importance of FWAs between people with children living at home and those without
- 16. MYTH: Women think FWAs are more important than men do, and use FWAs to a greater extent • Women and men value FWA options • Over half of all high potentials reported FWAs to be important • Women and men report using most flex options to the same extent over careers • There was no difference in the extent to which women and men use flex time, flexible arrival and departure, and compressed work weeks over careers • But women are more likely to telecommute than men, getting less face time MYTH: Lack of access to FWAs does not negatively impact motivation to succeed • Career aspirations soar where high potential have access to FWAs • High potentials at firms with FWAs have higher aspirations than those without • Among women, there is a 30% drop for those without access to FWAs Catalyst Research: Flexibility vs. Face Time 16
- 17. Ted Talk: Why Work Doesn’t Happen at Work 17 The Modern Workplace
- 18. When and where are you most productive? How important do you think face time should be? Do you have the flexibility to arrange your work and personal life in a way that’s most effective for you? If so, how? E.g., Case Study: Catalyst Is flexibility important to you? If so, what aspects of your identity drive you to feel this way? E.g., gender, generation, parental status, athlete, amateur chef 18 Your Experience
- 19. A: Effective options include: • Advanced scheduling (at least 3 weeks notice) • Allowing at least moderate schedule control • Guaranteed minimum weekly hours • “Opt-in”/voluntary overtime Q: I manage employees in hourly-wage positions. How can I provide them with some level of flexibility? Working Flexibly in the Real World 19 Challenge 1
- 20. A: Research shows: • Greater employee control over where and when work is completed results in higher quality work • Telecommuters actually work longer hours—no commute and increased commitment to organization Q: The perception of the telecommuter doing laundry and watching TV remains pervasive in my organization. What does the research say about the actual productivity of people who telecommute? Working Flexibly in the Real World 20 Challenge 2
- 21. A: The business case for FWAs has been demonstrated time and again: • Cost savings • Increased employee retention, commitment, satisfaction, efficiency, and productivity • Staying competitive with other organizations (most offer it!) • Reduced environmental impact Q: We currently have no formal flex work arrangement policies and management is resistant to introducing them. How can I convince our leaders to understand the importance of making flex options available to all employees? Working Flexibly in the Real World 21 Challenge 3
- 22. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or feedback: Anna Beninger Director, Research, Catalyst 120 Wall Street, 15th Floor abeninger@catalyst.org (646) 388-7707 22 Stay in Touch
Notas do Editor
- 6:30 pm START Talk about why I’m passionate about gender diversity in the workplace.
- Briefly describe the ritual based on your observation and take note the people, behaviors, things, and places. For this exercise you may focus on your own organization OR observe rituals in other work contexts OR as they are portrayed in the media, e.g., movies, sitcoms, news. Some issues to consider: What kinds of values does the ritual communicate? (e.g., awards ceremony=celebration, accomplishments; ‘take your children to work day’ –work-life and family values) Are there particular behaviors or characteristics of the ritual that send mixed messages or that entail more complex cultural messages? (e.g., teamwork and hierarchy) Reminder: Professor Sabattini will send a written description of the homework after class.
- Start off by sharing my examples (see next slide). Then, go around the room to hear each student’s response and use that to take attendance along the way.
- I am multidimensional. My identity is complex and made up of many different parts. The size of the words indicate how salient these aspects of my identity are at this stage in my life. In this moment, standing up in front of all of you, my identities as a research expert and public speaker are very salient, as is my identity as an introvert. Yes, shocking, I know, but I am in fact an introvert. This intersection of being an introvert but also leading a lecture is quite revealing about who I am and how I got to where I am today. I used to be terrified of presenting in front of people, but after a lot of practice and challenging myself to push myself beyond my comfort limits, I have come to love public speaking. It is still enervating, that will always be true for me, but I still love it. And the other aspects of my identity such as being a daughter and sister, a dual American and Canadian citizen, and a Millennial are less salient to me right now in this moment.
- 7 pm I want to start us off with a short exercise. Once I say “Go!,” stand up and pick a partner, any partner Spend 3 minutes getting to know each other and try to discover the most unusual thing you have in common Once that 3 minutes is up, you’ll hear me say “SWITCH” At that time, move quickly to find your second partner and repeat this exercise. Work to discover the most unusual thing you have in common with that person Then you’ll do it one more time. When I say, “SWITCH,” move to find your third and final partner and do this one last time At the end, we’ll come back together, to our seats. I’ll ask you to share what you believe are some really unusual things you found in common over the course of your conversations. Okay, let’s GO! [start iPhone timer]
- 7:20 pm Intersectionality Being a woman is “not a universal experience or category.” Not all women experience the same things. Their work and life experiences are influenced by all the other dimensions of their identity. As you saw with the HBR blog on the wage gap and whether gender or race matters more to how big the gap is, the story is different for men and women of different racial/ethnic backgrounds. Connection between intersectionality and work-life (the focus of the second part class today): Low income single, blue collar family Middle/upper class single mother A Gen X man’s cultural background that leads him to expect women to take care of the elders A Millennials employee who is working and going to school at the same time A retiree that still wants to work, but not for as many hours (encore careers) Someone who is mid career and would like to change fields Video Example: NBA MVP Stephen Curry brings 2-year-old daughter Riley to press conference - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDz538Hbtkk Key Insight: It’s not just one thing or another. In fact our complex identities make most people’s situations unique and impacts personal and professional priorities.
- As we consider intersectionality, we are inherently discussing different aspects of our identity. There are two primary types: personal and social (also sometimes called the “collective” self/identity). Our personal identity is quite unique to each and every one of us. But our social identity stems from our membership in different social groups. We belong to many different social groups and not all of them are equally important to our identity. The degree to which each aspect of our social identity is salient hinges on how much effort we put into each role and how well we perform each role (Desrochers & Thompson). In fact, there is something called a salience hierarchy. “This hierarchical organization of identities is defined by the probabilities of each of the various identities within it being brought into play in a given situation. Alternatively, it is defined by the probabilities each of the identities have of being invoked across a variety of situations” (p. 206, emphasis theirs) (Stryker & Serpe, 1982). It’s a way for us to organize the different aspects of our social identity. And this certainly changes with environment/context and life stage. As you age or find one thing more important than another, you re-order your social identities in the salience hierarchy.
- Belonging to certain social groups inherently means you don’t belong to others. This creates in-groups and out-groups. Henri Tajfel, the father of Social Identity Theory, and his co-author John Turner (1979), studied how people behave when in an in-group and they found that people favor their in-group and value it more highly than the comparative out-group. This in-group favoritism is strongest when individuals really identify with the in-group (belonging to the group is core to their sense of self), and the comparison out-group is meaningful. For example, African Americans vs. Caucasians, as opposed to African Americans and Texans. One consequence of this categorization is stereotyping. While stereotyping carries a negative connotation, it in fact is just a way that we categorize our complex world. A stereotype is a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. Importantly, it makes us ignore differences between individuals and we exaggerate similarities within groups and differences between groups. These stereotypes carry expectations for how certain groups are expected to look and behave, which can have significant implications.
- Now stepping back and considering intersectionality and our multiple social identities: how do people’s differing identities affecting their opportunities in the workplace? As we saw in Barbara Ehrenreich’s piece about trying to make a living as a member of the low-wage workforce, one’s identity as a member of the lower class, coupled with their educational background, heavily impacts the kinds of work people have access to, and subsequently their experience in the workplace. And for middle to upper class white-collar workers, intersectionality also plays a huge role. As we saw in Julia Jordan-Zachery’s piece on her experience being a black woman, she reflects that “intersectionality is something I live every day. As I confront many of the challenges faced by black women and other women of color, it is not an academic exercise that I can simply leave behind when I turn off my computer.” She is both black and a woman, two identities that can not be separated but rather must be understood as an experience unique from that of white or asian or latina women, and also that of black men. This identity, indicating membership in two non-dominant groups, means significant barriers remain in the workplace including feelings of “otherness,” lack of role models and sponsors to pave the way to the top, and exclusion from informal networks so critical to accessing the career advancing “hot jobs.”
- 7:45 pm Exercise on factors that affect the level of identification with social groups to which we belong.
- 8 pm
- 8:05 pm Mention the pervasive expectation of the “ideal worker” affecting one’s ability to find a desirable balance between their work and personal lives. This expectation can create a stigma for those who opt to use flexible work arrangements as less face time at work is seen as a sign of lower organizational commitment and affects access to networks and development opportunities. Types of flexible work arrangements include: Flexible arrival and departure, Flex time (flexibility in when work is conducted across the week), Telecommuting (flexible work location), Compressed work week, Reduced work/part-time, and Job sharing.
- Catalyst’s study: “The Great Debate: Flexibility vs. Face Time—Busting the Myths Behind Flexible Work Arrangements” In 2013, several high profile organizations including Yahoo!, Best Buy, and Bank of America, ended or drastically scaled back their flexible work arrangement programs for employees. In an age when technology enables us to work in a coffee shop just as easily as a cubicle, these dramatic reversals in access to flexible work arrangements in favor of face time—especially at e-commerce companies—has drawn contentious debate. But despite all of this discussion, in the absence of hard data, many armchair opinions persisted about flexible working arrangements, specifically with respect to who offers them, who uses them, and how important they are to attracting and retaining top talent. So in April of 2013, we decided to put some of these theories to the test. We conducted a survey of our panel of high potential employees, and the findings I will be discussing come from 726 MBA graduates around the world working full-time in both for-profit and non-profit firms across industries. It is critical for organizations to understand this specific group’s perspectives on and experiences around flexible work arrangements if they hope to attract and retain this top talent and become an employer of choice for high potentials. The results of this research busted many myths behind FWAs. We found that despite the media attention to the contrary, our research shows that the majority of organizations where high potentials work offer FWAs of some kind, regardless of whether the work setting is a for-profit or non-profit firm. 81% of our panel said that they currently work at a firm that offers flex work options of some kind. We also found that high potential—men and women alike—throughout the pipeline working at firms of all sizes value FWAs. The mean age of high potentials who reported FWAs were very or extremely important to them was 41 years old, dispelling the myth that only Millennials want FWA options. And at every leadership level across almost all firm sizes, at least half of all high potentials reported FWAs were very or extremely important. This remained true even when considering parental status. Our research showed that there was no difference in perceived importance of FWA options between people with children living at home and those without children living at home. Over half of high potentials both with and without children living at home reported that FWAs are very or extremely important. So FWA options are not simply used to juggle work and family, but are in fact important to high potentials without children, too.
- So high potentials of all ages, both with and without children, value flex. And it turns out that men and women also value flex with over half of all high potentials reporting they perceive FWAs to be very or extremely important. But women were 1.5 times as likely as men to report this. And among those with partners who work full time, women were also more likely than men to report FWAs are very or extremely important. These findings might lead you to think that women use flex more than men. But the data revealed that women and men reported using most FWA options to the same extent throughout their careers, especially those options not impacting face time, specifically flex time, flexible arrival and departure, and compressed work weeks. We did find a gender difference when it came to telecommuting. Women were more likely than men to telecommute during their careers, reducing their face time in the office. This finding reinforces how critical it is that organizations ensure employees who telecommute get equal access to key networks, sponsors, and career advancing “hot jobs” as those physically working in the office. And most surprisingly, we found that high potentials working at firms that offer FWAs have higher career aspirations on average than those who work at firms without FWAs. Among women, there is a 30% drop for those without access to FWAs. In addition, when FWA programs are absent, women are more than twice as likely as men to downsize their aspirations. Clearly, lack of access to flexible working arrangements damages high potential employees' career aspirations, and is especially harmful to women's aspirations, impacting the number of women raising their hands for stretch assignments and promotions. Offering flexible working arrangements is critical for organizations to maximize their talent pool and become employers of choice for high potential employees throughout the pipeline. Most competitors already offer flexible working arrangements; there are negative consequences for those that don't. Organizations need to decide if increased face time—or increased flexibility—is really in their firm's best interest.
- 8:30 pm Ted Talk (15 minutes, 21 seconds): http://www.ted.com/talks/jason_fried_why_work_doesn_t_happen_at_work#t-110901
- 8:45 pm
- 9 pm Q #1: I manage employees in hourly-wage positions. How can I provide them with some level of flexibility? A: This issue is incredibly important. Too often the people most in need of flexibility are the least likely to have any. People working in hourly positions typically have the hardest time getting access to flexible work options. There are some companies that have successfully implemented policies providing flexibility to hourly workers. Good practices include advanced scheduling, shift trading, relief pools, flexible start/end times to shifts, half-day vacation increments, employee-designed schedules, shifting assignments based on availability and skill rather than seniority, and unpaid time off. Importantly, eliminating mandatory short-notice overtime has been shown to reduce turnover and absenteeism and enhance productivity and commitment. Consider conducting a survey or focus groups to learn what YOUR employees want and/or need. In terms of tangible Practice examples, Macy’s provides employees with their schedules three weeks in advance (at least in NYC), and employees can trade shifts. TURCK Inc., a technology manufacturing company based in Minnesota, has an overtime policy where supervisors aim to give at least a week’s notice before scheduled overtime shifts. TURCK also allows staff to volunteer to work overtime, which allows employees to choose whether they want the additional income or prefer not to work these shifts. And a third example from Alcoa, an aluminum manufacturing company, shifted their plants in Iceland from two 12-hour shifts to three 8-hour shifts. This made a significant impact for their employees. I love this example because is shows how companies can be creative in providing flexibility to their employees.
- Q #2: The perception of the telecommuter doing laundry and watching TV remains pervasive in my organization. What does the research say about the actual productivity of people who telecommute part- or full-time? A: Research shows that greater employee control over where and when they work results in decreased distractions and an increase in focus needed to generate high-quality work. And telecommuters often work MORE HOURS, because they don’t have to take time to commute and often find themselves working longer than if they’d gone into the office. (This is not necessarily what Catalyst is advocating for, but it does happen.) The most important piece here is TRUST. Managers need to trust that their employees are working even though they can’t see them working. The focus needs to be on output and results. Most managers haven’t received training for how to oversee employees working flexibly. As a result, managers may prohibit FWA because they assume that direct reports will perform child care/household duties, or simply not work, while working from home –we’ve even heard this called “shirking from home.” In terms of tangible solutions for organizations and individuals, a trial period can be very helpful in transitioning to FWA so that employees can begin to build that trust with their managers and any kinks can be ironed out. You may need to tweak your initial FWA proposal and spend some time testing what works and what doesn’t, all the while focusing on maintaining performance. Another important strategy is WALKING THE TALK. It’s one thing to have policies on the books, but if no one uses them because of the assumptions they carry, they’re useless. It’s important for managers and other senior leaders to role model what successful flexible work looks like, and for employees to see people develop and advance while working flexibly—especially men. When successful male CEOs visibly work flexibly—e.g., leave the office early to attend their children’s soccer games, etc.—it can help level the playing field and socialize FWAs throughout the organization.
- Q #3: I lead the HR team in my organization. We currently have no formal flexible work arrangement policies and management is resistant to introducing them. How can I convince our leaders to understand the importance of making flex options available to all employees? A: Catalyst (and other) research shows that most employees really value having some semblance of flexibility and control over their work—implementing FWA options is an easy way to meet this need. In addition, the business case for FWAs has been demonstrated time and again. Key pieces include: Cost savings Staying competitive with other orgs (most offer it!) Increased employee retention, commitment, satisfaction, efficiency, and productivity Reducing the environmental impact Importantly, organizations can pilot new FWAs for 6-12 month to test these policies and provide management with an opportunity to assess the impact before making a commitment to a major policy change. Capital One provides a good example of how this has played out. Over a decade ago, Capital One conducted surveys and focus groups with employees to assess employees’ satisfaction—one of the most common things they heard was a call for greater flexibility. In response, Capital One rolled out a pilot program in 2003 called Flexible Work Solutions, which provided many FWA options, including flextime, part-time, compressed workweeks, and telecommuting. After rolling out the program, survey results indicated that employees were able to get feedback from peers more quickly, and that they were more satisfied overall after the implementation of these solutions. Offering flexible work arrangements also lowered Capital One’s real estate costs by requiring less overall space and has benefited the environment through reduced commuting.
- 9:30 pm END