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56. Claudia Goldin: What’s “Greedy Work” and Why Is It a Problem?
Dec 18, 2021
Claudia Goldin, a Harvard economist and author of "Career and Family," dives into the complexities faced by women in the labor market. She discusses the idea of 'greedy work' and its impact on wage disparity. Goldin explores how inflexible jobs and family responsibilities hinder women's earnings and reflects on how the COVID-19 pandemic might be a turning point. The conversation also highlights the need for policy changes to balance caregiving roles and employment, advocating for reforms to support gender equality in the workplace.
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Quick takeaways
- The gender wage gap is not solely determined by occupational gender segregation and is also influenced by factors such as education and career choices.
- Jobs that require long hours and limited flexibility, known as 'greedy work,' contribute to the gender wage gap, with men occupying more of these high-paying positions.
Deep dives
The Gender Wage Gap and Occupational Gender Segregation
One of the main ideas discussed in the podcast is the gender wage gap and how it is calculated. The speaker explains that the gender wage gap is determined by comparing the median income of full-time employed women and men working 35 hours or more per week throughout the year. The speaker acknowledges that this calculation does not take into account factors such as education or career choices. Additionally, the podcast highlights the concept of occupational gender segregation, which refers to the uneven distribution of men and women across different professions. The speaker emphasizes that while occupational gender segregation has decreased over time, it accounts for a smaller portion of the gender wage gap than previously thought.
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