THE ECONOMIC downturn is worrying professional women more than men, according to the findings of research by management consultancy Accenture.
Asked if they felt secure in the current economic environment,some 35 per cent of professional Irish women said they did, compared with 48 per cent of men.
The global survey of 3,600 professionals from medium to large organisations was conducted in 18 countries across Europe, Asia, North and South America and Africa to mark International Women’s Day which falls tomorrow.
Overall, Ireland ranked fifth from the bottom in terms of career confidence. Only the UK, Germany, France and Italy were more pessimistic about their career prospects in the current climate. Workers in countries such as Brazil, India, Australia and China all showed more optimism about their futures than Irish workers.
And Irish workers came second from bottom of the table when asked if they considered their careers to be successful or very successful. Some 49 per cent of Irish men and 46 per cent of women believed they were successful or very successful compared with a global average of 61 per cent.
Ireland also came second from the bottom when it came to willingness to learn and use new technologies. Some 63 per cent of Irish professionals surveyed said they were willing to learn and use new technologies, compared with 89 per cent of Brazilians and 88 per cent of Mexicans.
The survey also found that Irish men were more likely than women to say they had asked for pay rises (55 per cent versus 37 per cent) and promotions (55 per cent versus 35 per cent).
Meanwhile, Siptu has warned employers against targeting women workers during the recession.
Anne Speed, head of Siptu’s equality and campaigning division, said the credit crunch was “without doubt, man made but history tells us that it is women who will carry the greater share of the burden”.
She said women workers are more likely to hold part-time positions, be on temporary contracts and be lower paid.
Ms Speed was speaking at the opening of the Irish Congress of Trade Union’s women’s seminar in Belfast yesterday.
