Reaction – Real Men & Work Life Balance

A comparison between the married working men of the 18^th & 21^st century as women enter the workforce, where men are expected to take on additional duties at home while maintaining similar or larger duties at work to ensure their commitment to their careers. Are men at a disadvantage when it comes to work-life balance?

In my short career, I have seen this moral dilemma when it comes to men and women in the workplace. It is an unwritten rule, but men at the corporate world are expected to commit more of their time and effort to their careers whether their goals are to climb the corporate latter or just sustain their status at work. On the other hand, there is a softer approach managers seem to take on when managing women at the workplace. This stems from a culture change as more women enter the workforce while still handling most of the tasks at home. The idea that women have to do a “double shift”, due to professional and home duties, tends to change the feelings of managers as they empathize with the situation. Who’s really at a disadvantage?

As women enter the force at larger numbers than ever in the 21^st century, men are expected to continue their duties just as they did in the past at work while also entering into the ‘double shift” world. The culture shift seems to be one-sided and a disadvantage for men since the workload at the workplace has not decreased, at times it has increased due to our economic situation, yet duties at home are increasing for the corporate man. Should couples shift back to the 18^th century?

Our education system is providing better opportunities for both genders and the idea of a second income is an attractive one for couples especially since our labor market has not stabilized since the economic downturn of 2007. What is the answer to this dilemma? Men are going to have to sacrifice and manage their time more than they have in the past as this culture shift becomes a norm in the 21^st century.

            References

Gautam, T. (2012). Real Men Don’t Need Work Life Balance, ForbeWomen. May 23, 2012.

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