Mrs M
yoda76DO YOU COVER FOR A COLLEAGUE WITH KIDS?
April 2nd 2007 00:57
Last week I read a few articles all concentrating on the age old topic of working parents, specifically mothers, versus childless workers. Have you had to cover for a colleague who has kids? Have they ever covered for you?
The April 2007 edition of Madison features an article, written by Louise Millar, debating this very topic. Essentially the article is saying that there are women out there that resent the fact they often cover for their female colleagues who leave work to tend to their children. Some women actually resent the mother’s, some just resent the fact that the situation exists. One woman actually points out that if she constantly works back late to make up for the work the mother’s don’t do then when will she ever find the time to meet someone to have kids of her own. That seems like a fair point.
But what is more disturbing is the article shows us that there are women who simply resent and do not understand other women who have decided to have children. One woman complained that she was discriminated against when it came to taking annual leave. A mother was given preference because the leave coincided with school holidays. Is that fair?
I would like to ask those women featured in the Madison article what truly is making them unhappy? That parent’s get to go home or that they are working ridiculously long hours? Would they enjoy 15 hours days if everyone worked back with them?
On smh.com.au there was an article titled Women’s choices: kids or career. This article said that over 2000 women were surveyed in the industries of business, pharmacy, science, engineering and technology and found that more than half did not have children. The same survey also showed that women thought that taking maternity leave would be detrimental to their career; about a third of women with children did not take maternity leave; more than a quarter said they did not receive equal pay for equal work compared to males; half said they lacked the confidence to negotiate salaries and conditions.
These women also thought that balancing work and life, workplace culture and lack of senior roles for women affected their careers.
Lack of senior roles for women I think is an interesting point. One woman interviewed in the Madison article said that people who work part-time, and those who are mothers are clearly not dedicated to the job as full time workers and shouldn’t expect the same status or promotion prospects. Is that fair? Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that over 70% of the part-time workforce was made up by women.
Does having a child or choosing to work part time make you less qualified?
In another article on smh.com.au titled Work Obsession Hurts Relationships said that "Australia is now the only high-income country in the world that combines very long average working hours with a high level of work at unsocial times during weeknights and weekends and a significant proportion of casual employment."
"More than 20 per cent of employees work 50 hours or more each week and more than 30 per cent regularly work on weekends."
"About 2 million people now lose at least six hours of family time to work on Sunday and those hours are not fully compensated for during the week."
If working such long hours is not the norm in first world countries why are we doing here in Australia? For what benefit?
Clearly we are in a messy situation. What we do know is that as a society we need children. We need to populate this country.
Before anyone says that the world is already overpopulated I firmly believe that if we all lived a little greener then all of a sudden the world’s resources wouldn’t be so stretched. Let’s just look at the results of Earth Hour.
We also need happy, healthy workers to keep this economy going. Working ridiculously long hours does not necessarily make for a more productive worker.
Who do we turn to, to enact change? Industry, politicians, unions? What do you want?
The April 2007 edition of Madison features an article, written by Louise Millar, debating this very topic. Essentially the article is saying that there are women out there that resent the fact they often cover for their female colleagues who leave work to tend to their children. Some women actually resent the mother’s, some just resent the fact that the situation exists. One woman actually points out that if she constantly works back late to make up for the work the mother’s don’t do then when will she ever find the time to meet someone to have kids of her own. That seems like a fair point.
But what is more disturbing is the article shows us that there are women who simply resent and do not understand other women who have decided to have children. One woman complained that she was discriminated against when it came to taking annual leave. A mother was given preference because the leave coincided with school holidays. Is that fair?
I would like to ask those women featured in the Madison article what truly is making them unhappy? That parent’s get to go home or that they are working ridiculously long hours? Would they enjoy 15 hours days if everyone worked back with them?
On smh.com.au there was an article titled Women’s choices: kids or career. This article said that over 2000 women were surveyed in the industries of business, pharmacy, science, engineering and technology and found that more than half did not have children. The same survey also showed that women thought that taking maternity leave would be detrimental to their career; about a third of women with children did not take maternity leave; more than a quarter said they did not receive equal pay for equal work compared to males; half said they lacked the confidence to negotiate salaries and conditions.
These women also thought that balancing work and life, workplace culture and lack of senior roles for women affected their careers.
Lack of senior roles for women I think is an interesting point. One woman interviewed in the Madison article said that people who work part-time, and those who are mothers are clearly not dedicated to the job as full time workers and shouldn’t expect the same status or promotion prospects. Is that fair? Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that over 70% of the part-time workforce was made up by women.
Does having a child or choosing to work part time make you less qualified?
In another article on smh.com.au titled Work Obsession Hurts Relationships said that "Australia is now the only high-income country in the world that combines very long average working hours with a high level of work at unsocial times during weeknights and weekends and a significant proportion of casual employment."
"More than 20 per cent of employees work 50 hours or more each week and more than 30 per cent regularly work on weekends."
"About 2 million people now lose at least six hours of family time to work on Sunday and those hours are not fully compensated for during the week."
If working such long hours is not the norm in first world countries why are we doing here in Australia? For what benefit?
Clearly we are in a messy situation. What we do know is that as a society we need children. We need to populate this country.
Before anyone says that the world is already overpopulated I firmly believe that if we all lived a little greener then all of a sudden the world’s resources wouldn’t be so stretched. Let’s just look at the results of Earth Hour.
We also need happy, healthy workers to keep this economy going. Working ridiculously long hours does not necessarily make for a more productive worker.
Who do we turn to, to enact change? Industry, politicians, unions? What do you want?
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Comment by yoda76
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Comment by katyzzz
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It is not up to co-workers to make up for the time that mothers need to go, I understand their resentment. It's about a fair go for all.
If family responsibilities require adjustments to working regimes, the ones requiring it must pay for it, it is their responsibility.
The bigger picture is a bigger issue. If other countries handle it better, we can follow suit, let not financial greed control all of our lives. Usually it's the "top" that reap the financial benefits.
I think it is appalling that so many work such long hours, it is not productive, as studies have shown.
We are really not very intelligent at handling work/family issues.
Never sacrifice a family for a dollar. But, at the same time someone has to "bring home the bacon"
katyzzz....Love and stuff
Comment by AnthonyB
It's the age-old thing, you know. Everybody has things they want to do and unfortunately you only have so much time to balance it. Things are slowly beginning to improve for women. An independant agency has started up to assist women in returning to the workforce so that's a plus and I think if arrangements can be made with fathers to work part-time, everyone can their fair share of children and work too and the child will never be without love, affection or a parent.
I think it's unrealistic to assume you can look after kids and work at the same time, unless you work at a school or day care - which really, isn't a bad idea.
Please correct if I'm wrong though, because I'm not a woman and I never intend to look after children full-time.
Thanks. I do think the government needs work in this area, but it won't be in power much longer and we just need to hope that Rudd will do his bloody job properly and come good on his promises. Best of luck for the working woman.
- Anthony
Comment by yoda76
The Tube Blog
Never actually crossed my mind, but not bad in theory. Unfortunately though, it would mean hacing to deal with everyone else's brats as well.
Some days it's hard enough to have to deal with your own brats! ;o)
Let's pray that JH gets the boot - I think I'd consider leaving the country if he didn't.
I already know of someone who has - as of the last election!
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
I hate the very idea that just because women 'bear' and become mothers then we shouldnt bother having higher level positions for them. Neanderthals had better ethics.
I do get ticked off if I have to cover for a mother, but I grin and bear it, considering I ask for the same concessions with my animals....Guess what? No one covered for me, I got fired(a week before christmas!)The mother still has her job.
That question of part time hits home to me - When I say I want part time because Im starting my own business(a worthy cause, you would think) I get this blank eyed look - how dare you even suggest you dont want to work 50hrs straight in my magnificent company? No matter the reason, part time = lesser life form.
I still believe the earth is over populated and call me a pessimist, but I dont think the greater world will ever agree to live green. Small changes are beginning to happen, but is it enough? Is it happening fast enough?
I was barely 18 and going to TAFE to complete my horse certificates when I first saw the unfairness of full time work. I got up at 4am to get there - I was at Granville by about 7am. I saw everyone still asleep, barely moving, the aura of 'prison camp' that pervaded the early morning. Ive seen it a dozen times since and its getting worse - now morning train stations are soaked in a grim despair. What do I want? I want a return to the laid back Australia, before the GST, before we became second only to America in power, I want long afternoons with my whole family around, happy. I want a society relaxed and happy - not madly bolting in a race that has no finish line. Does John Howard realize we are people? He cant whip us like this - eventually, we have to rise up and say ENOUGH!!
But I thought we would have done it already - is everyone really just going to give up? I barely get to spend 2 hours a day with my man - It has got to stop.
Great topic Mrs M....If I keep going I will take over your blog....
Comment by Candice
A very topical subject! If I had wanted to balance family with my previous 'career' job I don't know how I would have done it. The hours that were expected would have made it impossible. Not to mention, the one time I asked for a day off because I had an exam was met with the comment, 'I'll see if I can organise it.' And the study was directly related to my job!
I read an article the other day that stated Australia is one of only two countries in the developed world that doesn't have paid maternity leave. I wonder if the Australian workplace will ever become 'family friendly.'
Comment by AnthonyB
By no stretch of the imagination am I against people having a family and working, but you only have time for one full-time job or two part time jobs. Else, something has to suffer.And unfortunately, I think men are in the same boat. Employers just can't afford to liberate their employees from work; today's international markets are saturated with competition and if everybody leaves early to look after kids then the company closes and all those employees are without jobs. It's definitely a give and take and it's in every way a juggling act. Hopefully a politician can do something useful and sort out a way of managing this, because I don't think the system is fair the way it is - but I can understand why It's like this.
Thanks for speaking honestly Candice.
I'd love to know what you think Mrs M. You're a working mother aren't you? Get back to me, and tell me if you think I'm being a chauvinist pig.
- Anthony
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
Nice summation. The enduring catch 22.
Hi Anthony,
Personally I think you can really only dedicate yourself to one thing; family or work. And not for the lack of ability or motivation, just the lack of time.
I really do think that we work far too many hours; regardless of whether you have kids or not. I really do think we are missing the issue here.
Things are better for women now than they have been in the past but it is a shock to find your "sisters" against you too.
Since Howard has been in government we really have become a "I'm in it for myself and no-one else" society - which is a shame. Societies can't function like that.
yoda76,
Some days it's hard enough to have to deal with your own brats! ;o)
Charming. Remember, one day they'll learn how to read.
Hi Kleonaptra,
It's interesting you mention that you wanted to take time to care for a pet. In the Madison article one women mention of a reverse situation. A mother rang up saying she had to care for her sick child. She was advised by the boss' secretary to say that it was she that was sick. When the boss had a sick pet, she took days off.
It's amazing how different people have such varying perceptions of what is important and then push those perceptions onto others. It sucks that you got fired.
Call me an optimist then. Other than the environment, we do need to populate this country. For the economy, the aging population. So really we have no choice but to live green.
Hopefully this year is the year. I knew when John Howard was elected that the Liberals were going to be in power for a long time. Australians have a habit of not voting out a government after only one term. Is 12 years long enough?
Hi Candice,
I am with you on that one 100%.
Yes, Australia and I think the other is the US (Kyoto anyone?) that don't have paid maternity leave. And it is shocking. I'm pretty sure I've read somewhere that mother's are actually far more reliable workers - no mucking around and they are having the children that are going to support all of us when we get old. Paid maternity leave is not a waste of money. You will be repaid 10 fold.
Thanks everyone for the visit and the comments. Much appreciated.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
I agree with one full time or 2 part time jobs theory of yours. But that also depends on what your expectations are. I have a lot of expectations of myself when it comes to parenting. And I could not do the sort of job I want if I was also working full time and vice versa.
I think the hours we work are crazy. When you hear about employers thinking of introducing sleep pods at work so employees can have a power nap in the afternoon so they can have 3 more hours of productive work, that to me is wrong. We do not live to work. If employees are dog tired, send them home at 5.30pm for a decent night's sleep.
Anthony, I also knew early on that when I got pregnant I wouldn't be needing maternity leave, I would just resign. I knew I wanted to be a stay home parent. But I also knew I wanted to work. So I had to have the foresight into creating a particular career path for myself that I could continue from home. But my plan had to be put into action years before I had kids. Not many people have that kind of foresight or the kinds of job they can do from home.
I don't think you are a chauvinist pig Anthony, far from it. I just think we should accept the status quo. There is always a better way to do something.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
I will never agree that we need to populate this country. Flying in to Sydney after visiting the inlaws I looked at the sprawl of suburbia and was utterly sickened by the amount of land covered by housing. I could only think one thing - This is not a smart animal. No smart animal breeds like this, utterly determined to obliterate the land it needs to survive. Its madness.
And, even if Liberals lose and Labor gets in, we wont be happy. Labor will make the workers happy and bankrupt the country, and we'll still be whinging. Whats needed is an overhaul.
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
I would hope that if you help out a colleague, they would help you out regardless of the reason. It's just a nice thing to do. Common courtesy.
Yep, I agree. Let's go.
Love & stuff
Mrs M
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
When they were bringing in the GST I said, "WHY does it have to be - the old system, or the GST. Cant they think of something else? Some system that works for us? Doesnt that make more sense than struggling with systems we know dont work?"
Every person I suggested this to looked as alarmed as if I had suddenly sprouted another head. Why does this idea scare people? Its what we need, and not just for tax, for everything.
And being a big one for common courtesy, I share your dismay at Australia becoming "Im in it for myself and no one else"
Comment by Mrs M
Mum's Word
Maybe you did. Did you look in the mirror?
Love & stuff
Mrs M