Why and How Did Women’s Workplace Experiences Change in the Late 20th Century

In the current world, the roles of women have significantly changed. In the past, or before the 20^th Century, women’s roles were very different from those of men. In most communities, men were the only people required to work and feed the family. Even if women were found in some workplaces, their roles were specific and never the same as men’s. For instance, the role of women was cleaning workplaces and performing house-related chores like cooking for men. However, as time passed, things changed, and now in some workplaces, the opposite can be observed since women can take on office chores, as men clean and cook. This topic is interesting because people want to understand how things are very different in workplaces as in the past. Nowadays, women have been empowered, and there are no longer jobs meant for men and those implied for women. Nowadays, women have a different workplace experience compared to what they were experiencing in the early and before the 19^th Century. This paper aims to research for reasons and how women’s workplace experience changed in the late 20^th Century.

There are various reasons why women’s workplace experiences changed in the late 20^th Century. The first reason is World War ii. Before 1939 to 1945, when World War ii took place, women’s roles were specific and different from those of men.[1] Women were believed to play home roles as men went to work and cater to the family. Women were thought to take care of children back at home as men went to seek employment in different organizations and workplaces to feed their wives and children. Men took difficult work, like working in factories and industries. Similarly, prominent positions in offices and workplaces were occupied by men. If women were lucky to get employment in workplaces, they were only allowed to perform simple chores like cleaning the compound, cooking in the kitchen, and even carrying the briefcase for the boss, who was a man.[2]

When World War II started in 1939, there was more fighter demand. Therefore, people needed to be recruited into militaries, especially men. The men who were required were those between the age of around 20 to 40.[3] In society, these men were more active and energetic and used to take active roles in workplaces. As more men were recruited into the military, more chances were left vacant. Since only women were left in their homes, they were forced to take different roles in the workplaces to fill the vacancies left by the men who were now participating in World War ii. Throughout the six years of world war II, women were actively working in industry and factories producing weapons and food to feed their children.

By working in offices, industries, factories, and other workplaces throughout world war II, women started gaining work experiences outside their homes. Women were now confident to take more prominent roles in the workplace ever than before. This helped in changing societal attitudes toward women and their abilities. When World War II ended in 1945, some women resumed their traditional roles as housewives while others decided to continue with their new roles in the workplace.[4] The post-war period is, therefore, when women increasingly started taking new work experience in workplaces, and it continued up to the late 20^th Century. Towards the end of the 20^th Century, workplace experiences were entirely changed since more and more women were now taking on new roles initially occupied by men. Women become confident enough to demand equal rights in the workplace, including similar positions and equal pay.

The second reason women’s workplace experience changed in the late 20^th Century is increased education. Before the 20^th Century, most communities were only educating the boychild. Girls were believed to stay home and help their mothers by performing house chores. In the early 20^th Century, some communities started educating girls. The few educated girls during this period could not find jobs since they were considered superior.[5] Those few lucky educated girls who could find jobs were given junior positions in the workplace. As time went by, more and more girls got access to education. By the mid-20^th Century, specifically after World War II, there was increased access to education, and many women became educated.

Women’s increased access to education played a critical role in the workplace experience. Just like men, women went to school, and they gained more knowledge and skills needed in various jobs. In addition to World War II, which made women start working in different places like factories and industries, education made women begin competing for higher-paying jobs. With advanced degrees, women entered the workforce, breaking the barriers and challenges that previously prevented them from pursuing their careers. According to Chafe et al. (1992), the increase in education among women in the late 20^th Century made women enter into careers that men, like law and medicine, previously dominated.[6] Women who occupied higher positions in various workplaces proved they could do better than men in different fields.

The third reason women’s workplace experience changed in the late 20th Century is technological advancement. Technological advancement made essential changes in women’s workplace experience like other factors. Advances in technology helped women in different ways as far as workplace job experience is concerned. First of all, technological advancement helped women by creating new job opportunities. Second, advances in technology enabled women to work more conveniently and effectively.[7]

One of the most significant changes brought about by technology is working from home or remotely. In the past, women’s roles were believed to be home related, and they were not allowed to leave home.[8] Even if there was nothing to perform in the house, women were forced to stay home and take care of the compound. With technological advancements in the late 20^th Century, it was possible to work from home even without physically visiting the workplace. This enabled women to work from home and take care of the compound as their husbands wished. Generally, technology allowed women to balance their responsibilities back at home and perform their work duties effectively.

Similarly, technological advancement created more job opportunities that were fitter for women. Previously, men were believed to perform more of physical work, and women were to perform less physical chores. When more technology came into operation in the late 20^th Century, the jobs that were created worked better for women. Some of the jobs that were made were in the fields like information technology and computer science. These are the same fields women had pursued with increased access to education. Therefore, as more jobs were created, more women were being absorbed. On top of that, technology made flexible working arrangements where employees were allowed to work in shifts or even work from home. This allowed more women to seek employment since they knew by working in shifts or part-time, they would be able to balance their work and family responsibilities.[9]

Another factor that changed women’s workplace experience is the changing societal attitudes towards women. In the early 20^th Century, the whole community and society believed that specific jobs were meant for women. Higher positions in the workplace were thought to belong to men. However, as time passed, society started changing their attitudes as they thought women had abilities just like or almost to men.[10] During World War ii, women were forced to work in factories and industries as their men went to militaries. This was when society realized that women had abilities and could work in different areas like men. Therefore, the community shifted from the traditional gender roles and allowed women to pursue other careers.

Secondly, society realized the importance of diversity in workplaces. Previously, businesses had only men in workplaces, and the community recognized that including women in various positions would be better. Some responsibilities like marketing were better for women than men since women were believed to be more convincing when talking to customers than men.[11] Similarly, society realized that diverse employees would be more productive and innovative. Many business owners saw that women were somehow unique and had a set of skills that could lead to the success of their companies. Therefore, many women were absorbed into various companies and given managerial positions that men previously dominated. Finally, society also recognized that it was essential to have a work-life balance. In the late 20^th Century, many people in the community were becoming literate and were no longer held to traditional beliefs and culture. Therefore, they recognized that women were supposed to be given opportunities in the workplace so that they could have a work-life balance. The workplaces also started to provide flexible work arrangements like shifts where women could work in the morning hours and take care of children in the evening when they came from school.[12]

The final factor that changed women’s work experience in the late 20^th Century was the “women’s rights movement.” Before the women’s movement, women were given jobs like taking care of children in homes or cleaning and cooking in the workplace. Even after studying, women were still given the lowest-paying jobs that could not sustain them. Additionally, women were also limited to advancement. When women came together, they started to fight for their needs, like equal pay in the workplace and equal rights like advancement opportunities.[13] It was difficult for two or three women to fight alone, and they decided to form organizations and movements to help them advocate for their workplace rights. After fighting for a long time, some organizations reformed some of their workplace policies to improve the status of female workers.

The significant achievement of the women’s movement occurred in 1963 when the Equal Pay Act was passed.[14] The Equal Pay Act of 1963 verboten organizations and companies from paying male and female workers unequal money if they have performed the same work. The second achievement of women’s movements is the increased representation of female workers in the workplace. Women were no longer restricted to traditional chores like caring for children and homes. By this time, there are some women who were employed but still limited to various jobs that were believed to be female jobs like nursing. The women’s rights movements also helped women widen their careers and pursue courses in fields like engineering that were thought to belong to men.[15] In general, women’s movements helped break the barriers and open opportunities for females in the workplace.

In conclusion, different reasons led to changes in women’s workplace experience in the late 20^th Century. At the beginning of the 20^th Century, women were attached to home-related chores like taking care of children and cooking for them and their husbands. Those employed in workplaces were given straightforward and less-paying jobs like sweeping and cooking for men workers. However, as time passed, everything changed, and women started having different workplace experiences. Some factors that led to these changes include; World War ii, increased access to education, technological advancement, and changing societal attitudes towards women and the women’s rights movement. All these factors changed women’s workplace experience in the late 20^th Century. They also made a foundation for equal rights in workplaces which are practiced until now.

Bibliography

Alegria, Sharla. “Escalator or step stool? Gendered labor and token processes in tech work.” Gender & Society 33, no. 5 (2019): 722-745.

Briar, Celia. Working For Women?: Gendered Work And Welfare Policies In Twentieth Century Britain. Routledge, 2004.

Chafe, William H., and William Henry Chafe. The paradox of change: American women in the 20th Century. Oxford University Press on Demand, 1992.

Milkman, Ruth. “Redefining” women’s work”: The sexual division of labor in the auto industry during World War II.” Feminist Studies 8, no. 2 (1982): 337-372.

Perry‐Jenkins, Maureen, and Naomi Gerstel. “Work and family in the second decade of the 21st century.” Journal of Marriage and Family 82, no. 1 (2020): 420-453.

[1]Perry‐Jenkins, Maureen, and Naomi Gerstel. “Work and family in the second decade of the 21st century.” Journal of Marriage and Family 82, no. 1 (2020): 420-453.

[2] Milkman, Ruth. “Redefining” women’s work”: The sexual division of labor in the auto industry during World War II.” Feminist Studies 8, no. 2 (1982): 337-372.

[3] Milkman, Ruth. “Redefining” women’s work.”

[4] Milkman, Ruth. “Redefining” women’s work.”

[5] Chafe, William H., and William Henry Chafe. The paradox of change: American women in the 20th Century. Oxford University Press on Demand, 1992.

[6] Chafe, William H., and William Henry Chafe.

[7] Alegria, Sharla. “Escalator or step stool? Gendered labor and token processes in tech work.” Gender & Society 33, no. 5 (2019): 722-745.

[8] Alegria, Sharla. “Escalator or step stool?

[9] Alegria, Sharla. “Escalator or step stool?

[10] Briar, Celia. Working For Women?: Gendered Work And Welfare Policies In Twentieth Century Britain. Routledge, 2004.

[11] Briar, Celia. Working For Women?

[12] Briar, Celia. Working For Women?

[13] Perry‐Jenkins, Maureen, and Naomi Gerstel. “Work and family in the second decade of the 21st century.” Journal of Marriage and Family 82, no. 1 (2020): 420-453.

[14] Perry‐Jenkins, Maureen, and Naomi Gerstel.

[15] Perry‐Jenkins, Maureen, and Naomi Gerstel.