In reading this Forbes article I was struck by the following statistic:

“According to an analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data done by the National Women’s Law Center, there were over 1 million fewer women in the labor force in January 2022 as compared to February 2020, which can be attributed to disruptions in schooling and child care.”

It’s evident that it’s going to take some time for this to be reversed and the continued emergence of the gig economy will surely support this.

Gigs are a great opportunity for all, irrespective of their gender, to undertake short terms projects, balanced against their personal commitments.  For mothers looking to return back to the workplace, this approach could offer the flexibility that they are striving for.  However, it does come with it’s risks – uncertainty, limited commitment and potential cashflow challenges. It’s not for everyone, but it does offer an excellent alternative for women returners, who no longer wish to consider the corporate environments that they have previously worked in.

Organisations who are able to offer and commit to a flexible workforce offering including permanent, contingent, freelance and gig workers, will surely be in a much stronger position in attracting a more gender diverse workforce?  What do you think?  Please share your thoughts!

The gig economy, as explained by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), is activity where people earn income providing on-demand work and services or goods, and a gig worker is often defined as an independent contractor or freelancer

https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2022/05/02/the-gig-economy-opportunity-lets-get-women-back-into-the-workplace-post-pandemic/?sh=2ad433cd875c