Do I count? Questioning the value of women

Women now have the vote and the right to run businesses, open bank accounts and purchase big ticket items without the approval of a husband or father.?Radical right!?

But how much has really changed since gender equality came into focus in the early 1900’s?

As long as the emotional and practical work of women involved in creating and raising families, caring for elders and children, ensuring meals are prepared, housework done, clothes clean, homework completed … is not valued, we have a long way to go.

Why do I say it’s not valued?

Because that is the truth literally.

The UN System of Accounts incorporating the GDP is the way all member countries measure the performance of their economy.

Thanks to Dr. Marilyn Waring, we now know that this system of accounts has two major flaws. ?

• Firstly, it only has a credit side –?no debit side – meaning that anything involving an exchange of money is counted positively. ?Losses that involve the exchange of a dollar are considered positive ... contributing to our economic wellbeing. Think about the activities that involve the exchange of a dollar and you'll see how outrageous this system actually is.
• Secondly, If there is no exchange of money, an activity is considered not to have value as far as the system of accounts is concerned. Again, think about what exists in our lives that contributes to our wellbeing and does NOT involve the exchange of a dollar.

This system of accounts has huge ramifications for women and for our environment.??Finite resources are allocated according to this System of Accounts.

Women still carry the majority of work around the home.?This situation was made even more obvious during lockdown and COVID-19 when a greater burden was placed on women.?Typically, they did not get the spare room as an office, if there was one.?Typically, they worked from the dining room table. Typically, they cared for school children ensuring they attended online lessons and prepared their homework.?Typically, they prepared more meals for their stay-at-home family. Typically, if they managed teams, they did what they could to manage the mental health and wellbeing of remote staff. All while they were handling their own jobs.

It’s the work version of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.?She did everything Astaire did only backwards and in heels. Yet she didn’t get the accolades.

I’m not saying men didn’t do any of this work.?I am saying it was assumed that the more significant load of it fell to women and the gap increased during COVID.

When it comes to the crunch, the Census repeatedly demonstrates the significant gap between what men and women contribute to unpaid work of household tasks and carer activities, even when both are in paid employment.

This allocation of value according to financial contribution carriers through to our business environment.

Over the past decade, a “new” style of leadership has being promoted as leadership of the future.?

In addition to traditional leadership expectations, this new leadership involves truly valuing people and developing their potential, caring about their mental health and wellbeing and creating higher levels of engagement which increases bottom line. Which is what business is all about. It's valuable work, right?!

You would think so.?However, the work that is predominantly done by women is neither appreciated, nor rewarded.?In fact, it’s being called ‘Office housework”.?This caring that is so valued by people on the receiving end is extra work women are engaging in and which is contributing to their burn-out .?

More women are looking for the Exit Sign which is bad news for organisations.

The rhetoric of society and of our politicians talks of gender equality while the stats tell a very different story. And the stats don’t lie.

Back in 2019 I wrote an article about how things might be different "If we counted differently".?Clearly inspired by Dr. Marilyn Waring, I even provided some practical ways we could start showing that we value this critical work. ?

I’m sure she would say it’s even more important now that we value this unpaid work which creates the quality of life we all yearn for and which is slipping through our fingers.

On this International Women’s Day, I’d be interested to know how this plays out in your organisation.?Are you involved in “Office Housework”??Or can you see that your organisation is making tangible inroads to gender equity, equality and pay parity??

Let me know in the comments below!

#womendocount. #feminineleadership. #countwhatmatters. #collaborativeleaders. #moveforwardtogether