Gender Segregation in Labor Markets

This sector is often viewed as a male dominated sector. The secondary sector is a bit lower in the hierarchy of labor markets, it consists of jobs that are low skilled that relatively require little training. In this sector, there are little barriers that affect job mobility. This is because jobs are distasteful, incentives are not enough to keep the workers and the level of labor turnover are always increasing as employees transfer form a job or an employer to an alternative one. It also accompanied by low wages and poor terms and conditions. It manifests in all life aspects, it can be apparent depending on a location of housing, schools attended, healthcare, workplace and where they lie in the labor market (OpenLearn, 2018).

In life, someone will always do better than the other, therefore the fact that an individual will be more successful in the labor market is not discrimination. In a perfect world, one will always achieve more. However, there is little to no explanation as to why some workers are more disadvantaged in the labor market as compared to others. There is also no explanation as to why minority ethnic groups and women are often subject to disadvantages in the market, for example they are often subjected to much lower wages and little employment opportunities. Occupationally segmented labor markets often arise from labor division. This increases differentiation and specialization of workers who are unable to change occupations that will require different specialization, skills and investment into training.

This can be applied in a hospital setting, doctors and nurses are of the industry but are of different occupational labor markets despite working together on a daily basis. Through occupational restrictions that specify minimum qualifications for a certain job eventually controls labor supply and also increases wages. Industrial labor markets are effective when an industry that requires combinations or a specific skill work towards retaining their workers for a long-term basis after training. Even though women still play a big part in family responsibilities, research revealed that women were increasingly joining the labor markets during the 1960s. Well into the 21st century, the number of women in labor markets is increasingly evident globally. Despite times changing women still experience discriminations in places of work in terms of job descriptions and wage differences.

Despite the progress women have made over the last century, the quality of work and gender equality is still considered to be an elusive goal. Millions of women have surpassed the bars of discrimination set in labor markets and became successful entrepreneurs, women are still grossly understated in boardrooms across the globe (HOWELL, 2011). Occupational segregation is a major dimension used in gender disparity in labor markets. This concept occurs when a certain group of individuals dominates an occupation, this groups might be divided with regards to gender, race, experiences, skills and any other unique and personal characteristics (Pages and Stampini, 2007). This concept is believed to be dated to way back in history, despite attempts to eliminate the phenomenon from the economic society it is still existent and often affects minorities and its extent also varies depending on the minorities and country involved.

Therefore, it is vital to get understanding the magnitude of the problem so as to enact better policies that will ensure women are not overlooked and discriminated depending on their occupation. Employment gaps that relate to gender are still persistent well into the 21st century. Although work-family policies are shown to have positive effects on women’s presence in the workforce, is it hypothesized that these policies have a negative effect on women’s earnings. Evidences suggests that behaviors supported by these policies, such as taking leaves and reducing hours, may lead to lower wages relative to men, condensed incomes over the generation, and lesser incomes come retirement. Both a demand side and supply side argument have been constructed to support these claims.

The demand side argument states that, “employers are supposed to decrease their offering wage in response to the costs of leave and, where leaves are lengthy, in response to reduced human capital,” in comparison to employees with continuous professions, predominately males (KIMYOUNGMI, 2015). The supply side argument perpetuates that women flock towards jobs that offer leave policies, hence crowding in female-dominated jobs leads to a decrease in earnings. Nonetheless the disadvantages vary, some of the common ones include; wide differences in average incomes that arises when individuals within a disadvantaged group are subject to low wages because they are pushed into crowded and low paying jobs. Well into the 21st century, the number of women in labor markets is increasingly evident globally.