ajcjobs > BlogBreak > Archives > 2006 > November > 13
Monday, November 13, 2006
Flexiblity for women only?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
I opened up my Sunday paper yesterday and was glad to see the ajcjobs main story was about ‘Building a Case for Flexiblity’. However there is a major question that begs to be asked. What about the men?
It was a user comment written back in September that forced me to examine this question more closely. In response to my entry on women’s inequity in salaries, a reader named Nelson referred me to the work of Warren Farrell who has written extensively on men’s roles in the workplace.
I was able to hear Farrell present a workshop earlier this month. After years of advocating for women in the workplace, I found myself gaining a different understanding of the situation. He outlined the constraints on men. He spoke eloquently about the pressures that men feel in providing for families and in balancing their lives. Take a peek at his website: www.warrenfarrell.com.
Farrell says we need to look at these issues as they effect BOTH sexes. If only one sex only wins, we both lose. Power, he says, is about having control over your life. And isn’t that just as important for men? Organizations, in looking at reshaping how the work gets done should accommodate the lives of all of us.
So great work, Good Morning America for focusing on this issue. However, let’s see some examples of new work opportunities for both sexes!
Have you men been proposing flexible work options to your employers? What kind of reaction have you had? Any women read Farrell’s work? If so, what do you think?
