Becoming a mother in science, engineering and technology: The impact

of career breaks and part time work

Clem Herman Open University UK

Suzan Lewis University of Middlesex UK

Academy of Management 7-11 August 2009 - Chicago

Research context Research carried out as part of EU funded WiST project

(Women in Science and Technology)

Theoretical framework - gendered organisations (Ackers 1990) Organisations think they are gender neutral

BUT still operate with gendered assumptions eg separate spheres: work = male domain, domestic = female ideal workers are available and visible male competencies are valued eg crisis management

Most “work-life” initiatives by companies remain at the level of formal policies. These have limited impact if deep seated organisational values and rules are not challenged. (Lewis and Smithson, 2006; Rapoport, Bailyn, Fletcher and Pruitt, 2002)

Methodology In depth interviews x 63 (53 women 10 men) Professional engineers and scientists – also

some HR Sectors – energy, IT, pharmaceuticals Countries – France, Netherlands, Italy, UK

(plus small sample from Germany, Estonia, Russia, Canada)

Recorded, transcribed and thematically analysed

Key findings 1. Parents/families (micro-level) – Concerns are stress, quality of life, income

levels Perception of need to sacrifice career potential and progression in order

to reconcile working and family life. Usually expressed as a personal choice rather than seen as systemic problem.

2.   Employers (meso-level) – concerns are retention and return on investment (the business case)

Work life balance policies can have the unintended consequence of reinforcing gender stereotyping within the workplace if it is only mothers/female carers that make use of these and not fathers or male carers.

3.   Policy makers (macro-level) – concerns are economic and social welfare - discourses reflect underlying assumptions about gender roles

National context eg social welfare policy, hours of work and assumptions about gender roles have significant impact even in global companies – but global context encourages individuals to question local norms

Attitudes to motherhood “a lot of women with babies are not working full time so I was

considered as not working full time – I WAS working full time but I was a mother so I couldn’t get the job I wanted. They considered that I wasn’t working full time” Research Manager - France

“there tend to be a lot of assumptions made about what mothers can or can’t do. There are all kind of trips being discussed: “lets’ not ask [S] because she can’t go.” …Maybe I’m not able to go but I’d at least have liked to have been asked” Thermal conversion technologist - Netherlands

Organisational cultures Availability and visibility considered crucial for progression [when you are part time] “you don’t get the highly visible projects

with a lot of exposure to the rest of the organisation which is generally seen as the best way to go to have a good career”

Chemical engineer - Netherlands

Gendered organisations Half the people here are women but there are few women - 2 or

3% who are in management roles, there are so few that I know them all by name! They are all an exception to the rule… I think it’s a cultural thing. The whole industry is for real men and I think that it is possible to change but I don’t think this company wants it to change

Geophysicist, Italy

Sustainable careers?

Some evidence of changing models of career progression and development (eg increased promotion options for part timers and returners from career breaks, flexibility and remote working)

I think especially very young men, 30 years old for example who had babies in the last two or three last years... ask us in interview if they can keep their Wednesday... I think that there is a change in the men. HR Manager France

Discussion: Future research and Practical implications Assumptions about motherhood prevent many women from aspiring to career advancement, which is viewed as requiring unacceptable demands on their working time

Social policy discourses and gender role norms in different countries impact on how gender is played out within company culture – but companies can lead the way for change

Gendered notion of ideal employees who work continuously and full time needs to be challenged

Need to move beyond policies towards processes for achieving systemic culture change.