Claudia Golding, a Nobel laureate in economics in 2023, recently stated that American companies should maintain the job flexibility they have demonstrated during the pandemic. Currently, although 'returning to the office' has become the main theme, many companies are still offering mixed work schedules, where employees can sometimes work remotely, and the demand for business travel has also decreased, which is objectively more favorable for female employees. In addition, the so-called 'greedy work' has also become more flexible. Greedy work "refers to positions with higher salaries, broader responsibilities, but higher time requirements.
As one of the few famous female economists to win the Nobel Prize in Economics, Claudia Golding, an economics professor at Harvard University in the United States, has a wide range of research fields, mainly using a large amount of historical and real data to conduct systematic research on women's employment and gender discrimination, the development history of education, and changes in wage structure.
Golding wrote an author's postscript in his new book "Career or Family? Women's Centennial Journey towards Equality." The article states that we need men to lend a helping hand at work, encourage male colleagues to take parental leave, vote in support of public policies that subsidize childcare, and help companies change their greedy work practices, making them understand that family is more valuable than work. Unless a man is brought along for the rest of the journey, beautiful dreams cannot come true and wishes cannot be easily realized. In short, the author believes that the desire for equality can only be achieved through the joint efforts of men and women.
In the era of advocating gender equality, the status of women in the workplace and family is constantly improving. Women are stepping out of their homes and entering the workplace in the new era, becoming the backbone of various industries. According to the Global Employment and Social Outlook report released by the International Labour Organization, the global female labor participation rate in 2018 was 48.5%; Among them, developing countries account for 69.3%, developed countries account for 52.4%, and emerging countries account for 45.6%. As the largest developing country, China's female labor participation rate far exceeds the average level. According to relevant data in The Rising Power of Asian Women's Online Shopping, 62% of women in Chinese Mainland earn money together with their spouses to support their families, and 91% of women are one of the sources of family income.
In 2019, the labor participation rate of Chinese women exceeded 70%, ranking first in the world. Among them, the labor participation rate of Chinese women aged 25-55 was as high as 90%, and the employment level of women continued to improve, ensuring their economic independence. At the same time, according to the "2020 China Workplace Gender Salary Difference Report" released by BOSS Direct Employment, the average salary of urban employed women in China in 2019 was 6995 yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.7%. The average salary was 81.6% of that of men, and the salary advantage of men decreased from 27.7% in 2018 to 22.5%. The income level of women has further improved, and their consumption ability continues to enhance.
Chinese women continue to have a stronger voice in household consumption decision-making. According to relevant data, 75% of total household consumption nationwide is determined by women, and 50% of male targeted products are purchased by women. According to Alibaba's relevant data, 70% of Alibaba's online e-commerce sales are contributed by women. According to "The Rising Power of Asian Women's Online Shopping", most women are responsible for budget decisions in daily necessities, clothing, accessories, cosmetics, and children's products, and women also participate in decision-making in areas such as electronic products and travel expenses.
Overall, the status of women in the workplace and family in China is constantly improving, and the discourse power of Chinese women in household consumption decision-making is constantly increasing. With the continuous improvement of Chinese women's education level and social status, there will be new changes in their consumption cognition, information acquisition channels, shopping self-awareness, commodity demand class, and spiritual consumption, which will promote the development of various industries in the "other economy".
Forward Looking Economist APP Information Group
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