Gender imbalance at work continues

Our annual State of the Deskless Workforce report has found that female deskless workers still fare worse on numerous aspects of employee experience. 

A global survey of 11,000 frontline workers has revealed a continuing imbalance between genders in the workplace – with Quinyx, a workforce management platform focused on frontline workers calling for organizations to make 2022 a year of holistic business transformation.

A New York Times census data analysis cross-examined with the federal government’s essential worker guidelines, found that 1 in 3 jobs held by women have been designated as frontline and essential. This includes over two-thirds of frontline workers working at grocery stores and fast food chains.

The Quinyx study – covering the retail, logistics, hospitality and healthcare sectors – found that female frontline workers continue to rank worse than male colleagues on a range of factors relating to their employee experience.

Overall satisfaction with their work environment, how comfortable they are speaking to managers on issues such as pay and taking time off, and whether they’ve gone to work sick because they were not afforded time off by their employers, are the most common concerns . 

The findings revealed that only 34% of female frontline workers are comfortable discussing pay raises or wage inequalities with their managers, compared to 47% of males. While just 29% of female workers said that their manager has shared specific steps towards their career development (40% men). 

Women in the US represent 52% of jobs deemed as essential, and as Quinyx’s research has shown, they have been underpaid and undervalued — a forgotten workforce that kept our economy running, the heroins who continued to work in order to feed, transport and protect the rest of us, with or without a pandemic.

Additionally, 69% of women said that they had to go to work sick because they were not afforded time off by their employers compared to 59% of men. While another 60% of female frontline employees reported they had considered quitting their job because of dissatisfaction with their working conditions (compared to 40% of males). 

Women are less likely than men to have received help or be given the chance to speak about career progression with their managers - including setting up specific steps towards career progression, or being provided with a mentor. 

Quinyx’s Chief HR Officer Toma Pagojute said: “An employee’s overall experience is made up of numerous parts, and if women’s experiences are consistently falling short across the board then we, as organizations, need to ask why.”

She added that the findings highlight a need for “a sustained shift in the way businesses handle gender biases and priorities” and that 2022 presents a unique opportunity for companies –following the disruptions of the last two years– to “redress the balance and get frontline employee engagement and well-being right for everyone.”

The US findings of the Quinyx report also revealed:

•  41% of female frontline employees felt pressured by coworkers into taking a shift they didn’t want to take (28% male) 
• 36% of women felt asking to change a shift for personal reasons would be perceived negatively by their employer (21% male)
• Almost 60% of females said that their employers did not value their work. (compared to 43% of males)
  
  

Toma continued: “Our research highlights a huge opportunity for organizations to make 2022 the year of significant workplace change. After the upheaval and uncertainty of the last two years, it’s time to move forward. We have a unique window now to reset and create a sea of change that can empower all workers, particularly women, who continue to feel the effects of long-term inequalities.

“There’s a lot to address, but if organizations put people at the forefront of business strategy and operations, and managers lead by example by considering employee engagement at every step, then changes will start to become ingrained.” 

“Moreover, in light of understaffing issues that continue to affect many industries, it’s in businesses’ best interests to look after staff and help retain them.”

Toma’s advice for organizations looking to improve employee engagement and well-being in 2022, is:

1. Adopt a flexible approach.
   Our research shows that more than half of US employees have missed out on planned personal time such as working out, mental health care and rest due to work. Additionally, around a third say they would prefer a flexible schedule over higher pay. The pandemic brought greater awareness surrounding the possibilities of flexible working for office-based roles but we would love to see flexible approaches being considered for frontline workers too.
   
   An initial step might be introducing a company-wide respect policy, so staff know that requests for time off or shift changes will be received without judgement.
   
   
2. Really get to know your staff. It’s great that employers are bringing in policies such as “stay interviews”; some are even checking in on staff sleep habits to ensure well-being. Sleep check-ins are optional, of course, but promoting the link between health and well-being, and how people feel and perform at work can only be a positive step. Managers might also want to introduce wellness days – giving staff flexibility to take leave when they need to focus on their wellness, aside from their traditional holidays.
   
   
3. Utilize technology – workforce management softwares, such as Quinyx, lets managers see where staffing gaps need plugging and where resources can be better spent. Using tools that enable employees to implement shift changes themselves might feel like relinquishing control, but can give business leaders more time to focus on the bigger picture.
   
   
4. Reward great performance and loyalty. Forty percent of US frontline workers say they feel that their work is not valued by their manager, with most of these believing their boss sees them as a disposable or temporary resource.  Regular acknowledgements and rewards don’t need to be big or expensive but can go a long way when it comes to staff retention.
   
   
5. Make your frontline workers your priority. Ultimately, employees are any business’ best asset. Employee engagement and well-being needs to be at the heart of everyday operations and ingrained throughout a business’ culture if we are to see a significant change.

How just some of the countries we poll for our report compare: 

US stats 

•  41% of female frontline employees felt pressured by coworkers into taking a shift they didn’t want to take (28% male)

• 36% of women felt asking to change a shift for personal reasons would be perceived negatively by their employer (21% male)
• Almost 60% of females said that their employers did not value their work. (compared to 43% of males)
• 34% of female workers are comfortable discussing pay rises or wage disparities with their managers (compared to 47% of male workers)

• 60% of female frontline employees reported they had considered quitting their job because of dissatisfaction with their working conditions (compared to 40% of males).

• 69% of female workers have been to work sick because they couldn’t afford to take time off (59% of male workers). .
• Just 29% of female workers say their manager has shared specific steps towards their promotion, and 22% say their manager has identified a mentor for them (40% and 30% for male workers).  

UK stats 

• 27% of female workers are comfortable discussing pay rises or wage disparities with their managers (compared to 40% of male workers) 
• 46% of female employees don’t believe there are a lot of job opportunities open to them based on their skills (compared to 36% of male workers).  

• 63% of female employees have considered quitting their job because they’re unhappy with their work environment (51% of male employees). This rises to 71% of female hospitality workers.  
• Women are more likely to feel pressured by co-workers into taking shifts they don’t want to take (45% female / 33% male). 
• 60% of female workers have been to work sick because they couldn’t afford to take time off (49% of male workers).  
• Just 25% of female workers say their manager has shared specific steps towards their promotion, and 18% say their manager has identified a mentor for them (30% and 25% for male workers).  

Stats from Denmark 

• 15% of female workers are comfortable discussing pay rises or wage disparities with their managers (compared to 44% of male workers). 

• 58% of female employees don’t believe there are a lot of job opportunities open to them based on their skills (compared to 46% of male workers). 
• 62% of female employees have considered quitting their job because they’re unhappy with their work environment (41% of male employees). This rises to 93% of female hospitality workers. 
• Women are more likely to feel pressured by co-workers into taking shifts they don’t want to take (39% female / 31% male). 
• 61% of female workers have been to work sick because they couldn’t afford to take time off (35% of male workers). 
• 39% of female workers say their manager has shared specific steps towards their promotion, and 21% say their manager has identified a mentor for them (34% and 23% for male workers).  

Stats from Sweden 

• 33% of female workers are comfortable discussing pay rises or wage disparities with their managers (compared to 44% of male workers). 
• 42% of female employees don’t believe there are a lot of job opportunities open to them based on their skills (compared to 44% of male workers). 
• 54% of female employees have considered quitting their job because they’re unhappy with their work environment (48% of male employees). This rises to 66% of female workers in the manufacturing sector. 
• Women are more likely to feel pressured by co-workers into taking shifts they don’t want to take (43% female / 32% male). 

• 48% of female workers have been to work sick because they couldn’t afford to take time off (44% of male workers). 
• 20% of female workers say their manager has shared specific steps towards their promotion, and 21% say their manager has identified a mentor for them (29% and 23% for male workers).  

Stats from Australia 

• 26% of female workers are comfortable discussing pay rises or wage disparities with their managers (compared to 41% of male workers). 
• 34% of female employees don’t believe there are a lot of job opportunities open to them based on their skills (compared to 30% of male workers). 
• 69% of female employees have considered quitting their job because they’re unhappy with their work environment (59% of male employees).  
• Women are more likely to feel pressured by co-workers into taking shifts they don’t want to take (54% female / 33% male). 

• 71% of female workers have been to work sick because they couldn’t afford to take time off (60% of male workers). 
• 26% of female workers say their manager has shared specific steps towards their promotion, and 21% say their manager has identified a mentor for them (28% and 23% for male workers).  

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