THIS BLOG’S THEME: GENDER SEGREGATION
Gender segregation is one of the most persistent problems in the Finnish labour market. Although the Nordic countries rank high on equality indicators, gender segregation in working life is an enduring problem in Finland. Is it too challenging to solve?
Gender segregation in the workplace, unlike the topics discussed earlier in this blog series, is difficult to measure statistically. We have chosen gender segregation as one of the criteria for describing the best labour market in the Nordics, as gender segregation is reflected not only in the world of work but also in educational and occupational choices.
Already in education, men prefer traditionally male-dominated sectors such as construction and logistics. Women, on the other hand, are more likely to choose female-dominated professions such as health, care, and teaching.
This differentiation leads to men entering the labour market more often in the higher-paid private sector, and women in the public sector, especially in lower-paid sectors.
Gender segregation affects the attractiveness of sectors
Gender segregation in working life prevents the full potential of the workforce from being utilised, and makes the labour market more rigid.
Personal interests and skills can remain unused if a person avoids a profession because of gender stereotypes. This not only limits individual opportunities, but also undermines diversity and innovation in work communities.
A diverse workplace has been shown to increase organisational profitability and staff satisfaction, as well as improve workplace attractiveness. In such workplaces, innovation and creativity fuel economic development, ultimately benefiting consumers, businesses, and the economy as a whole.
In essence, this discussion is about the right for everyone to work, and to be part of the labour market. The Ami Foundation’s 2023 Courage to Change Campaign also called for change – especially in our mindsets.
For example, strong occupational segregation has a negative impact on the ability of workplaces to attract a wide range of talent. In a competitive labour market such as the capital region, talent diversity is particularly important for the future development of the region.
Student counsellors and employment services influence individual choices
While individuals’ choices are influenced by many factors, from family to the surrounding community, it is important to identify and dismantle stereotypes that drive gender-based educational choices from secondary school onwards.
According to the Finnish State Youth Council’s Youth Barometer 2022, there seems to have been some change in women’s educational choices in recent years, but there has not been a significant shift of men moving into female-dominated sectors.
We all need to take responsibility for breaking down stereotypes. We need to stop and think, for example, about how we associate gender with certain professions. Those providing guidance on occupational and professional choices, such as student guidance counsellors and employment services, also influence individual choices.
We already know that migrants’ educational choices are often guided by gender. This reinforces stereotypes, for example, about the occupations that are suitable for immigrant women.
Fear of harassment or discrimination affects the choice of occupation
Workplaces and the education sector have an important role to play in desegregation. This means both preventing harassment and discrimination, and taking active measures to promote diversity.
Change in the workplace is particularly important, and great tools are already available, as Mia Teräsaho and Sanna Nykänen from the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare THL write in The Ami Foundation’s Pulssi blog. At worst, fear of harassment or discrimination can prevent gender-atypical career choices.
In the 2022 Amisbarometri by the National Union of Vocational Students in Finland SAKKI, of those considering dropping out of vocational education, 19% said they had experienced harassment and 16% discrimination or racism. One of the three priorities of The Ami Foundation’s programme is diversity in the workplace, and gender issues are closely linked to this.
Recognition of the challenges faced by gender minorities is also an important aspect of desegregation.
A study by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA 2020) shows that, in Finland, a significant proportion of trans and intersex people experience discrimination in working life. This highlights the need to broaden the gender equality discussion and actions to encompass all genders.
Equality at work – inequalities also in pay and career development
Gender segregation is a significant and persistent challenge in the Finnish labour market. Gender segregation is at odds with Nordic gender equality traditions.
Although the Nordic countries rank high in terms of equality at work, gender inequality remains an enduring challenge. There are inequalities in areas such as pay and career development. Tackling this challenge requires continued attention, research, and action to move towards a more equal working life for all.
The Ami Foundation emphasises the importance of diversity in working life and aims to promote gender equality as part of a wider aim on the journey towards a more equal labour market.
We are interested in ways to monitor and dismantle gender segregation more effectively. We believe that regular and comprehensive monitoring would increase the visibility of gender segregation, and encourage all parties to take active steps in tackling it.
Research on gender segregation has made slow progress
The transition from gendered to gender-equal occupations in Finland has been slow, and, in some cases, progress has been reversed.
For years, we have seen projects aimed at desegregation having been implemented, but often the results have been short-lived. Research on gender segregation has progressed slowly, and outdated studies do not support the needs of today. What’s more, gender segregation seems to
be lost in the public debate and policy agendas. This raises the question of whether the problem is too challenging to solve.
Researchers Mia Teräsaho, Inkeri Tanhua and Emmi Rantanen have found that systematic comparison and analysis of gender segregation is challenging. Their report for the Finnish Ministry of Social Affairs and Health, Promoting gender equality at workplaces – ways of dismantling gender segregation, suggests that the solution to this problem is to regularly monitor and compare gender segregation in order to better understand and address its effects.
Such a measure would help to bring gender segregation to the centre of public attention, and promote concrete actions to tackle it.
Engineering significantly male-dominated throughout the Nordics
So why does gender segregation in the workplace persist in the Nordic countries, even though the employment rate for women is among the highest in the world, and promoting equality in the workplace is advanced?
One presumed reason are the deep-rooted attitudes, conceptions, and language describing different professions, which date back to past decades. Stereotypes between occupational groups are slow to change, and this perpetuates gender segregation in working life.
Statistical analysis reveals that gender segregation is particularly visible in certain sectors. For example, the engineering sector is significantly male-dominated across the Nordic countries.
Finland ranks lowest in the comparison, with only 18% of students entering engineering studies in Finland being women. Iceland has the highest proportion, with 36% women, followed by Denmark with 30%.
Labour shortages most prominent in gender-dominant sectors
The health and care sector is one of the most gender-segregated sectors. This reflects the wider problem of a gendered labour market, including from the point of view of labour shortages.
According to Eurostat data published in 2020, 78% of health workers in EU countries were women. The sector is highly gender-segregated.
In The Nordics (Pohjola in Finnish), the profession was most dominated by women in Estonia, Finland, and Denmark. In Norway and Sweden, the proportion of men in the health sector was slightly higher.
The situation is quite challenging in all the countries of The Nordics, as it is often the gendered sectors, such as health, that suffer from labour shortages. A potential group of applicants not being attracted to certain jobs because of the gendered nature of the sector is detrimental.
To improve the labour market in Finland, especially in the capital region, we need to take concrete steps towards a more equal working life, where opportunities for individuals are not determined by gender.
This requires a broader societal change. Stereotypes and old-fashioned attitudes need to change, both in education and in the working life. It is also important to combat gender-based harassment and discrimination, which perpetuate gender segregation at work.