The effect of COVID‐19 on employment: A bibliometric review of a she‐cession

Abstract

The effort to close the gender gaps in employment is one of the priorities worldwide to help address the disparity that exists between men and women in terms of rights and opportunities and to grow the economy in a sustainable way. Several academics and international organizations are interested in understanding its evolution, as well as the reasons and consequences of its existence. In this sense, the crisis alters the labor markets, affecting male and female employment ratios to varying degrees. To determine the foundations and consequences of the COVID‐19 in the labor sphere: we first discuss the most relevant international analysis of employment in pre‐and post‐COVID‐19 times. Second, we synthesize the state of the art of the most relevant literature on gender gap in employment and its drivers, especially those related to the impact of the coronavirus. To achieve this, we revised 731 papers since 1989 until January 2024. The reports of different organizations, as well as scientific studies indicate that the coronavirus has represented a setback for female empowerment. This is evident in higher rates of destroyed employment due to the pandemic impact on more feminized sectors, and women have assumed greater responsibilities at home compared to males. With a sample of 394 articles published between 2020 and January 2024, we employed a bibliometric approach to understand the evolution of scientific research on the subject. Our results provide a theoretical and conceptual framework that facilitates academic progress in understanding gender inequality, as well as practical guidance in identifying gaps.