Gendered Norms at Work

This edited volume discusses how deeply entrenched gender norms in work environments, even in welfare economies, can affect women's health in an adverse way. The volume provides a broad overview of contributing factors. It derives specific answers from case studies in Sweden, a welfare state where women's labour market participation is very high, but where horizontal and vertical gender segregation in work is also one of the highest in the world. Women tend to work in occupations that are heavily dominated by women. An issue in women-dominated occupations is a considerably higher sickness absence than men, with the highest rates being in human service and care occupations. This volume adds to the literature on health and wellbeing in women-dominated professions and workplaces through studying the work environment, organizational changes, digitalization, threats, violence and conflict, and work conditions that could contribute to healthier workplaces for women. In addition, it pointsto the need for deeper gender analysis in work norms, and using both quantitative and qualitative approaches. It is of interest to social and behavioural scientists studying work, gender and health, as well as HR professionals and policy makers.

Auteur

Britt-Inger Keisu is an associate professor in sociology and heads the Umeå Centre for Gender Studies at Umeå University, Sweden. Her main research interest is gender and organization theory. She has received several research grants, all of them with research focus on organizational factors that are important for employees and managers, such as (in)equality, work environment and health issues.

Susanne Tafvelin is an associate professor and registered psychologist at the Department of Psychology, Umeå University. Her research concerns the role of leadership and the work environment for employee health and well-being. She has received numerous awards for her research on leadership and stress, and published her work in prestigious journals like Work and Stress and Stress and Health.

Helene Brodin holds a PhD in Economic History and is Associate Professor in Social Work, Stockholm University. Her main research concern intersectional theories, care policies and care work with a special focus on how New Public Management (NPM) has affected working conditions and the distribution of services in the welfare sector. She has received several research grants, all of them with a research focus on how norms of gender contribute to shape and affect working conditions and the work environment in the women-dominated public welfare sector.

Contenu
Chapter 1. On equal terms? Gendering labour markets, the organisation of work and the wellbeing of employees (Britt-Inger Keisu, Helen Brodin and Susanne Tafvelin).- Part I: Working Conditions.- Chapter 2. Classification of work an approach for the exploration, understanding and prevention of gender differences in working conditions (Annika Härenstam and Anna Nyberg).- Chapter 3. Psychosocial working conditions for women and men in industries with different types of production and gender composition: Sweden, 1991-2017 (Anna Nyberg, Annika Härenstam, Gun Johansson, Paraskevi Peristera).- Chapter 4. A Multilevel Approach to Understanding Job Demands and Resources in Health Care (Anne Richter, Marta Roczniewska, Henna Hasson & Ulrica von Thiele Schwarz).- Chapter 5. Managing Care Work in Times of Austerity Gendered Working Conditions for Managers (Klara Regnö).- Part II: Organisation of Work.- Chapter 6. Invisible workers on digitalisation in home care work from a gender and technology perspective (Charlotte Holgersson and Britt Östlund).- Chapter 7. Organising auditing, person centered care and competence in Swedish residential care homes (Palle Storm & Anneli Stranz).- Chapter 8. Gender differences in the impact of work hours on health and well-being (Philip Tucker).- Chapter 9. The interplay between gendered norms and new public management strategies in the shaping of homecare services' work environments (Annika Vänje).- Part III: Violence and Conflicts.- Chapter 10. 'Don´t let it get to you.' Gendering workplace violence in disability services in Sweden (Helene Brodin and Sara Erlandsson).- Chapter 11. The concept of intragroup conflict in relation to gender and wellbeing in women-dominated work (Britt-Inger Keisu and Susanne Tafvelin).- Index.