Here come the girls…
The results of Grazia magazine’s Woman and Work survey identified how flexibility is the
key in today’s modern household and the ‘male breadwinner’ and ‘stay at home mum’ are no
longer the norm in today’s society.
The survey found that nearly a third of women earn more than their partners with a further 19
per cent earning the same.
Rather than suggesting a society of ‘have-it-all women who struggle to keep all the plates
spinning the research suggests that couples are, more than ever, working in partnership,
particularly when they have children. For example, in one in ten families a house husband
looks after the children and does the chores whilst their female partner works full-time.
Whilst this still represents the minority of households it does suggest a shift in the perception
that men always bring in the bigger income.
The Deputy Prime Minister, for example is husband to what is perhaps, rather crudely,
being termed one of the UK’s Mrs Bigs. His lawyer wife earns £500,000 as a partner
in international law firm DLA Piper whilst Nick Clegg takes home £135,000 a year*.
So what does this mean for employers? As modern society becomes more fluid and
flexible in its approach to work shouldn’t employers follow suit? Not simply because of
their moral obligation but because, if they want to attract and maintain the best people,
they are going to have to show an understanding of the way modern society now operates.
*Extracted from Financial Mail Women’s Forum. http://www.fmwf.com/media-type/news/2010/07/third-of-women-are-earning-more-than-their-men-and-are-main-breadwinners-at-home/
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