South Africa celebrates women twice a year – first in March, according to the United Nation’s calendar, then locally in August. But when it comes to female inclusion in the job market, women are still highly disadvantaged.
In 2020, the NIDS-CRAM survey showed that net job losses between February and April were higher for women than for men, with women accounting for two-thirds of the total net job losses. Women are also more likely than men to live in households that reported running out of money for food in April 2020. Moreover, a retrospective look shows that between 2016 and 2020, women’s unemployment averaged 34.3% against 31% for men.
These numbers however overlook a key factor: the role of motivation in women seeking jobs, and how the market does not support their willingness to work.
Jake Willis CEO of Lulaway, says that out of the 850 000 job seekers on the Lulaway database, 75% of these job seekers are female. “Women are much keener to work than men. Women are usually more serious about the work, more committed and when given a choice, many companies prefer women.” explains Willis.
So if companies prefer women, and women are more motivated to work, why is there a discrepancy in the actual employment figures?
The root cause is the inherent difference between male and female ability to perform certain work safely, says Willis. “While males are less work-ready and less conscientious, they have certain natural advantages that make them more employable. They can do manual work, and their safety is not as precarious as their female counter parts,” explains Willis.
Men are stronger and more likely to be suited for physically demanding jobs. On another level, safety is an issue for night shifts and jobs like security. Many jobs in the entry level market are physically demanding, and are not suited to women
A telling example is the burgeoning demand for scooter drivers due to the ecommerce explosion. Women are less inclined to take advantage of these jobs due to taking longer to learn how to ride a scooter properly.
The reality is that women are constantly losing economic ground when compared to their male counterparts. By understanding the inherent disadvantage facing women, nuanced employment policies could be established to address these imbalances.
“We need to come up with creative solutions like showing preference towards hiring women in jobs which are suited to them, appreciating there are many jobs that women can’t do. This would be beneficial for the employers too – women are generally more committed and conscientious in the workplace, “explains Willis.
Finally, there is the reality that women in this country bear the brunt of childcare responsibilities.
Willis concludes: “Until the culture in South Africa shifts to demand men take some responsibility for childcare, and the workplace is better suited to accommodate women, South Africa is losing out on committed, motivated and productive working women which could be helping the country end unemployment.”