6 hours ago
https://www.uel.ac.uk/
PRESS RELEASE: Women are missing out at work not just because of pay gaps or bias, but because they simply do not have the same time as men to compete. That is the conclusion of a new study co-authored by Professor Toyin Adisa of the University of East London, published in the International Journal of Management Reviews.
The paper analysed 88 studies and found that women’s working lives are shaped by a constant “time squeeze” caused by unpaid care, domestic work and rigid social expectations.
A double workload. This means many women are effectively working two jobs. As a result, they have less time for networking, training, visibility and progression, all of which are critical for getting ahead at work.
The researchers argue that this “hidden time gap” is a major but overlooked barrier to inclusion. Even when organisations offer flexible working, it often fails to solve the problem because the underlying expectations about availability and productivity remain unchanged.
A global pattern. While the study focuses on African workplaces, the authors say the findings reflect a wider global issue. Many organisations are still built around an “ideal worker” who is always available, with few responsibilities outside work. In reality, that model excludes large numbers of women everywhere.
The study sets out five ways time affects women at work, from life-stage pressures such as motherhood to wider historical and cultural factors that shape who is expected to do care work. Across all of them, the result is the same: less opportunity, less recognition and less inclusion.
Rethinking how work is organised. The authors say employers need to rethink how work is organised, not just offer surface-level fixes. Suggested changes include better childcare support, fairer workloads and more realistic expectations about working time.
Professor Toyin Adisa, of the Royal Docks School of Business and Law at UEL, said, “Women are not falling behind because they lack ambition or ability. They are falling behind because they are carrying a second shift that workplaces still largely ignore. If we want real inclusion, we have to stop designing jobs around the assumption that everyone has unlimited time.”
No quick fixes. The study warns there are no quick fixes. While measures like flexible working and childcare support can help, the problem runs much deeper. Women’s disadvantage at work is rooted in how time is distributed across society, shaped by entrenched gender roles, cultural expectations and organisational norms.
Professor Toyin Adisa said, “If we are serious about inclusion, we cannot rely on small policy tweaks. We have to rethink how work is organised and how care is valued across society.”
PRESS RELEASE: Women are missing out at work not just because of pay gaps or bias, but because they simply do not have the same time as men to compete. That is the conclusion of a new study co-authored by Professor Toyin Adisa of the University of East London, published in the International Journal of Management Reviews.
The paper analysed 88 studies and found that women’s working lives are shaped by a constant “time squeeze” caused by unpaid care, domestic work and rigid social expectations.
A double workload. This means many women are effectively working two jobs. As a result, they have less time for networking, training, visibility and progression, all of which are critical for getting ahead at work.
The researchers argue that this “hidden time gap” is a major but overlooked barrier to inclusion. Even when organisations offer flexible working, it often fails to solve the problem because the underlying expectations about availability and productivity remain unchanged.
A global pattern. While the study focuses on African workplaces, the authors say the findings reflect a wider global issue. Many organisations are still built around an “ideal worker” who is always available, with few responsibilities outside work. In reality, that model excludes large numbers of women everywhere.
The study sets out five ways time affects women at work, from life-stage pressures such as motherhood to wider historical and cultural factors that shape who is expected to do care work. Across all of them, the result is the same: less opportunity, less recognition and less inclusion.
Rethinking how work is organised. The authors say employers need to rethink how work is organised, not just offer surface-level fixes. Suggested changes include better childcare support, fairer workloads and more realistic expectations about working time.
Professor Toyin Adisa, of the Royal Docks School of Business and Law at UEL, said, “Women are not falling behind because they lack ambition or ability. They are falling behind because they are carrying a second shift that workplaces still largely ignore. If we want real inclusion, we have to stop designing jobs around the assumption that everyone has unlimited time.”
No quick fixes. The study warns there are no quick fixes. While measures like flexible working and childcare support can help, the problem runs much deeper. Women’s disadvantage at work is rooted in how time is distributed across society, shaped by entrenched gender roles, cultural expectations and organisational norms.
Professor Toyin Adisa said, “If we are serious about inclusion, we cannot rely on small policy tweaks. We have to rethink how work is organised and how care is valued across society.”
