The future of women at work: Part 3

Some women may leave the labour market entirely. Long-established barriers may make it harder for women to make transitions. They have less time to reskill or search for employment because they spend much more time than men on unpaid care work; they are less mobile due to physical safety, infrastructure, and legal challenges; and have lower access to digital technology than men. Policymakers and businesses need to step up interventions, targeted at women, to overcome these barriers.

High priorities include more investment in training and transitional support; more provision of childcare and safe and affordable transportation; addressing stereotypes about occupations; boosting women’s access to mobile internet and digital skills in emerging economies; and supporting women entrepreneurs.

McKinsey Global Institute found in its research that 40 million to 160 million women—7 to 24 percent of those currently employed—may need to transition across occupations (the wide range reflects different paces of technology). For men, the range is comparable at 8 to 28 percent. If women take advantage of transition opportunities, they could maintain their current share of employment; if they cannot, gender inequality in work could worsen.

To make these transitions, women will need new skills.

In mature economies, only jobs requiring a college or advanced degree may experience net growth in demand. In emerging economies, the many women working in subsistence agriculture with little education may have difficulty securing work in other sectors. Even women remaining in their current jobs will need to refresh their skills; they could be more prone than men to partial automation of their jobs and will need to learn to work alongside automated systems.

More women work in lower-paid occupations than men.

In mature economies, demand for high-wage labour is expected to grow, while demand for medium- and low-wage labour could shrink. Many emerging economies could experience stronger growth in demand for higher‑wage jobs. Enabling women to move up the skills ladder could prepare them for higher-paying jobs and more economic opportunity. However, a potential glut of workers in lower-wage jobs—including men displaced from manufacturing—could put pressure on wages. It also means that some women could leave the labour market entirely.