Smartphones merge work and life to 'amplify patriarchal values' and overwhelm women, study claims

Smartphones offer increasing flexibility about how and when we work, but that may be harming women's career prospects and wellbeing, new research suggests.

A Massey University study has found being constantly connected via devices affects women quite differently from men, and the expectation that females will always be at the beck and call of family is leaving many overwhelmed.   

Hamilton writer and mother-of-two Emily Holdaway said she could relate to the findings.

Whenever an issue relating to her children Ziggy, 4, and Jagger, 2, cropped up, it always came to her rather than her partner.

READ MORE:
* The poor and low skilled are being left behind in the digital world
* Stop telling me to put my phone down
* Switching back from smartphones to dumb phones

"The dentist appointment text reminders, for both of us, the 'car due for WOF' reminders, the unspoken expectation that because I work from home, I can attend the kindy whānau days and take the kids to the doctor and do all the things that need to be done on top of trying to run a charitable trust, a PIF group and six social media accounts in the 'spare' time I have," said Holdaway, who is also co-founder of The Good Fund, which helps women access reusable period products. 

"Are we expected to be constantly available? Or do we put that expectation on ourselves by responding to the messages and emails when they come outside of 'office' hours, instead of leaving them till the next morning?"

Report author and Massey University senior lecturer Debalina Dutta conducted in-depth interviews with women working in the male-dominated science, technology, engineering and mathematics sectors (known as STEM).

She said it would be a mistake to think that the ubiquitousness of mobile phones was having the same effects on women as it did on men.

"They actually amplify the patriarchal values that are part of our culture. This ability to contact someone at all times means women are expected to be constantly available in their homes and in their work spaces," she said.

She said that expectation that they were always on call for everyone could leave women overwhelmed with home and workplace demands.

While they could more easily work around their children, answering emails from home where necessary, a mobile phone also meant their role as family caregiver did not stop when they were working, she said.

"And they can still be contacted about work matters at home. These are gendered expectations that do not affect men to the same degree."

One woman Dutta spoke to said: "It never fails to amaze me how resourceful my kids can be when they need to reach me, most of the time for trivial reasons, even if I have told them that I am in the lab and to leave me a note if they need me. They would call, text, WhatsApp. Like it's my job to be available for them all the time since they can reach me via my mobile."

Most of the time they wanted to contact her for things that were not urgent and did not require an immediate response, she said.

Another said no-one would think of contacting her husband in the same way while he was at work.

In Wellington, Eliza Prestidge Oldfield said she felt that the expectation to manage home administration tasks would usually fall on women anyway, and having the technology to make it easier was a bonus.

"On Tuesday on my bus ride to work I updated our car insurance payment with our new credit card details. This sort of stuff mostly falls to me in my relationship, and if it weren't for the ease of doing life admin via my phone it'd be a much bigger job."

Dutta said message apps were also used as informal communication channels in many workplaces but, when they were male-dominated women were sometimes cut out of important conversations.

"Women can be completely excluded from informal chat groups, which can have implications for their careers," she said.

"And sometimes, if they do join the chat group, they can feel isolated by the content of conversations, for example if the men in the group exchange messages and jokes they perceive as inappropriate and/or sexist."

While messaging apps could isolate women, they could also be a communication channel that creates additional burdens. Many women were expected to be part of online school groups, play groups and other parents' groups.

"I think a lot of women feel they can't win. Their friends and family expect them to be active members of chat groups, constantly uploading photos of the kids and responding to questions. Men don't seem to have the same expectations made of them so, when at work, it's fine for them to be fully focused on work."

Dutta said the issues were becoming more pronounced as smartphones became increasingly interactive.

She said people should be willing to question technology and its effects on people.  "For a long time we haven't done that."