“Companies need to pave new career paths for women and men”

On the day of action “Equal Pay Day 2021”, Prof. Dr. Veronika Kneip to overcome the wage gap more flexible work and new role models / digitization boost due to the corona pandemic as an adjusting screw

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Women in Germany still earn an average of almost a fifth less than men, which means that the wage gap in this country is significantly higher than the EU average. The gender pay gap, i.e. the said difference between the average gross hourly wage of women and men, has hardly decreased in recent years. Since 2006 it has only decreased slightly from 23 percent to 19 percent. The international day of action “Equal Pay Day” on March 10, 2021 will be attended by Prof. Dr. Veronika Kneip from the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences (Frankfurt UAS) on the occasion to point out the immobility in fighting the wage gap between women and men. It demands better political framework conditions and a rethink in companies in order to promote equality in society, family and work. She flanked her demands for more flexibility with specific suggestions on how a “game changing”, tearing the current situation around, can succeed – also and especially in times of Corona.
“The corona pandemic and the associated digitization and flexibility should be used as an opportunity to fight against some structural causes of the gender pay gap – specifically with a view to innovative working (time) models and access to development and advancement opportunities for mothers and fathers “, Demands the professor of general business administration and member of the Institute Mixed Leadership (IML).

Traditional notions of typical employment histories, classic division of roles within families and inadequate childcare facilities are the cause of ongoing gender inequality, especially in West Germany. It is not for nothing that the gender pay gap in eastern Germany is significantly lower at 7 percent than in western Germany with currently 20 percent. The reasons for this are diverse (as is generally the case for the gender pay gap), but the differences in the employment histories of East and West German women are clear: women in East Germany are less likely to work part-time or work in mini-jobs and can take advantage of a much wider range of institutional childcare To fall back on. The proportion of women in management positions is also higher in East Germany than in West Germany
“On the one hand, there is a need for political framework conditions that simplify the compatibility of family and work and provide incentives for an equal division of family work. On the other hand, gender stereotypes must be overcome by new role models for both women and men, ”says Kneip.

The boost fueled by the corona pandemic around the digitization and flexibilization of work can become a decisive factor in determining the extent to which role models and employment biographies also become more flexible or stereotypical ascriptions tend to solidify. In principle, networked computers and cloud services as well as a high internet bandwidth enable mobile access to company networks and data and thus largely uninterrupted decentralized work for many, especially higher-skilled jobs. “This can serve as the basis for innovative part-time models for women and men who shape careers instead of ending up as a ‘part-time trap’,” says the scientist.

Specifically, it is about models that close a gap at the top and bottom of part-time work:

• For example, a largely digital continued employment with initially a greatly reduced number of hours can be an alternative to the predominant one-year or multi-year break. In this way, the flow of information and knowledge can be maintained on both sides, and women have the opportunity to influence further job design more actively than after a complete absence.
• A more flexible place and time of work can also be used in order to take on a demanding position in a full-time-like part-time manner (80 to 90 percent of the regular weekly working hours). Above all, the combination of two such models creates the opportunity to link the individual careers of both partners with an equal division of family work.

In addition to the political framework mentioned above, companies also have a significant influence on promoting innovation and equality through flexible working models. You will need:
• Companies that are open to new and individually designed constellations and employees who negotiate their specific ideas for the design of the workplace.
• An awareness of all those involved that a lower hourly expenditure does not necessarily have to go hand in hand with routine activities, but that the knowledge and expertise of employees should be used as effectively as possible.
• The move away from a strict presence culture and models for flexible transitions between part-time, full-time part-time and full-time.
• A cultural change that enables a career and leadership even part-time. “This may not apply to the CEO (s) of a large corporation, but it is quite possible for team, department and project management, so that the course can be set for a later top-level position even in such a setting,” says Kneips Conviction.
In general, according to the expert for key competences, a change in attitudes is necessary, “so that mothers with weekly working hours of more than 50 percent are not seen as the (in) glorious exception and fathers with working hours of less than 100 percent are not denied any career ambitions. “

1Study by the Institute for Economic and Social Sciences (WSI) of the Hans Böckler Foundation, read under the following link: https://www.boeckler.de/pdf/p_wsi_report_60_2020.pdf

Prof. Dr. Veronika Kneip is available for interviews, questions and other statements on the subject.

To person:

Prof. Dr. Veronika Kneip has been Professor of General Business Administration, especially Key Competencies, at Frankfurt UAS since 2020. Before that, she was director of management at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management. She is a member of the Mixed Leadership Institute (IML) and conducts research in the areas of digitization, business ethics and diversity. She is currently developing an MBA program for the Mixed Leadership Academy (AML).

About the Mixed Leadership IML Institute:

The Institute for Mixed Leadership (IML) bundles the research of Frankfurt UAS on the topics of innovative leadership, change in leadership culture and diversity as a success factor for companies and operates the Mixed Leadership Academy (AML). The aim is to use practical research and further training to help increase the proportion of women in management positions, to increase the acceptance of men for various management teams and to recognize the advantages of mixed-gender and diverse management teams.

Further information on the Faculty of Business and Law can be found at: www.frankfurt-university.de/fb3
Information on the Mixed Leadership Institute is available at: www.frankfurt-university.de/iml
Information on the Mixed Leadership Academy at: www.frankfurt-university.de/aml

Scientific contact:
Contact: Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Faculty 3: Economics and Law, Prof. Dr. Veronika Kneip, phone: +49 69 1533-2957, email: [email protected]

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