Top managers and the gendered interplay of organizations and family life: the case of Iceland

Abstract

Purpose Iceland, along with the other Nordic countries, is seen as an international frontrunner in gender equality and equal sharing of responsibility for paid and unpaid work is part of the official ideology. Nevertheless, the number of women in leadership positions remains low. The purpose of this study is to analyse the practices that (re)produce power imbalances between women and men in business leadership both at the macro and the micro levels. This is done by using two theoretical explanations: gendered organizational practices and the interplay of organizations and family life. Design/methodology/approach The mixed methods are applied by analysing 51, semi-structured interviews with female and male business leaders and survey data from CEOs and executives from the 250 largest companies in Iceland. Findings The analyses reveal gender differences and asymmetries in work life as well as within the family. Men have longer working hours than women, higher salaries and more job-related travelling. Women carry the dual burden of work and family to a higher degree than do men. By questioning and attempting to resist the organizational culture women risk further disadvantage. The situation of male and female leaders is therefore incomparable. This is a paradox and does not fit with the idea of the Nordic gender equality of a dual breadwinner society. Originality/value It is shown that lack of gender diversity in business leadership is based on gendered organizational practices as well as on power relations within families. These two aspects are mutually reinforcing and the originality of the study is to explore the interplay between them. The authors conclude that despite being the country at the forefront of gender equality in the world, neither organizational practices nor family relations recognize the different life experiences of women and men in Iceland. This is expressed in organizational practices and different access to time and support, which may hinder gaining gender equality in top leadership.

Older Women’s Experiences in the Icelandic Workforce – Positive or Negative?

“…In this sense, the seeming reluctance to speak of their worthiness as employees can also be seen as a response to how they as women have been treated as not equals to men throughout their career. Over the life course, women in Iceland have been met with lower salaries than men, less opportunities for promotion all of which devalues their contribution in their labour market (Júlíusdóttir et al 2018). This is further seen in the interviews as the respondents reflected on ageism and gender and their experience was that ageism was more common for older female employees than older male employees.…”

“…This could be in line with the results presented by Van Dalen et al (2010) suggesting that such feelings of low selfesteem can stem from the way they are treated in their workplaces, as if being repeatedly treated in a certain way becomes the aspiration of their own thoughts. Gender segregation in Icelandic workplaces has been repeatedly found to devalue women, both in terms of earnings and opportunities of promotion (Júlíusdóttir et al 2018). In this sense, the seeming reluctance to speak of their worthiness as employees can also be seen as a response to how they as women have been treated as not equals to men throughout their career.…”

“…This was especially true for older women (Snorradottir et al 2013). A study by Júlíusdóttir et al (2018) shows that leading Icelandic women and men experience gender differences both at work and within the family. Men have longer working hours and higher salaries, but the women bear the main responsibilities for the family, making it difficult to work as leaders.…”

Þættir sem hafa áhrif á stöðu kynjanna í íslensku atvinnulífi: Heildarmynd sýnd með áhrifariti

“…Rannsóknir á stöðu kynjanna í atvinnulífinu snúast að jafnaði um afmarkaða þaetti málsins, t.d. um launamun kynjanna (Aðalsteinn Leifsson og Aldís G. Sigurðardóttir, 2010;Einar Mar Þórðarson, Heiður Hrund Jónsdóttir, Fanney Þórsdóttir, Ásdís A. Arnalds og Friðrik H. Jónsson, 2008;Gyða Margrét Pétursdóttir, 2010;Þorlákur Karlsson, Margrét Jónsdóttir og Hólmfríður Vilhjálmsdóttir, 2007), kvennastéttir og kynbundið náms-og starfsval (Fjóla Þórdís Jónsdóttir og Ingi Rúnar Eðvarðsson, 2013;Guðbjörg Vilhjálmsdóttir, 2004;Sif Einarsdóttir, 2005; Þuríður Sigurjónsdóttir og Sif Einarsdóttir, 2011), kynjakvóta og hindranir á framgangi kvenna (Axelsdóttir og Einarsdóttir, 2017; Guðbjörg Linda Rafnsdóttir og Margrét Þorvaldsdóttir, 2012; Unnur Dóra Einarsdóttir, Erla S. Kristjánsdóttir og Þóra H. Christiansen, 2017) eða mun á stjórnarháttum kynjanna og stöðu kynjanna í leiðtogahlutverki (Júlíusdóttir, Rafnsdóttir, Einarsdóttir, 2018;Margrét Saemundsdóttir, 2009).…”

Bringing Women on Board: The Social Policy Implications of Gender Diversity in Top Jobs

“…regular long hours, evening/weekend working, travel away from home, and responsiveness to 'crisis' situations), which are not always compatible with family life or women's disproportionate care responsibilities (Seierstad and Kirton, 2015) and may discourage women from pursuing them (Hakim, 2006). Furthermore, whereas men in leadership and managerial positions are more likely to have a partner in parttime or flexible employment, or not in employment at all, women in such positions are more likely to have a partner who works similar hours or more; hence, women seeking top-level jobs potentially find it harder to negotiate a more equal division of domestic responsibilities (Júlíusdóttir et al, 2018). Yet, as Orloff notes, 'there's plain old discrimination to deal with, too ' (2009b: p. 139).…”