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Article published In: Language Problems and Language Planning
Vol. 45:3 (2021) ► pp.284–308

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Language gender gap at work across OECD countries

Quantitative and controversial evidence

 | Universitat Rovira i Virgili
 | Universitat Rovira i Virgili
 | Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Published online: 28 February 2022
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https://doi.org/10.1075/lplp.21007.ala
Abstract
Language gender differences at work have been widely described though hardly measured. The object of this study is whether there are gender differences in the use of language skills at work and what those differences are. A gender gap measure of linguistic skills used at work is presented and computed for 21 countries using data from the first round of the Survey of Adult Skills (n = 109 695). On the basis of the 21st-century literacy needs at work approach, we compound five one-skill indicators: use of oral skills, use of reading skills, use of writing skills, use of numeracy skills, and use of ICT skills. Gender differences are quantified in relative terms controlling for occupations’ gross categories. We provide a piece of evidence for a language gender gap at work in favor of men for all language skills analyzed; there are, however, differences by country and occupational categories.
Resumen
Las diferencias de género en uso del lenguaje en el trabajo han sido ampliamente descritas, aunque apenas se han analizado cuantitativamente. En este trabajo se cuantifican las diferencias en el uso de las distintas habilidades lingüísticas en el trabajo entre mujeres y hombres. Basándonos en las necesidades comunicativas en el mudo laboral del siglo XXI se construye un indicador compuesto por cinco indicadores simples de competencias lingüísticas (hablar, leer, escribir, uso de lenguaje matemático, y uso de las competencias TIC) y se calcula una medida de brecha de género en términos relativos controlando las categorías de las ocupaciones en 21 países utilizando datos de la Survey of Adult Skills (n = 109 695). Se proporciona evidencia de la brecha de género en el uso de las competencias lingüísticas en el trabajo a favor de los hombres para todas las habilidades lingüísticas analizadas; existen, sin embargo, diferencias por países y por categorías ocupacionales.
Resumo
Oni vaste priskribis lingvajn genrodiferencojn en laboraj situacioj sed apenaŭ mezuris ilin. La celo de la nuna studo estas esplori ĉu ekzistas genrodiferencoj en la uzo de lingvokapabloj en laboraj situacioj, kaj el kio konsistas tiuj diferencoj. Ni prezentas kaj kalkulas genrofendan mezurilon de lingvaj kapabloj en laboro por 21 landoj, utiligante donitaĵojn el la unua stadio de la Superrigardo de Adoltaj Lertoj (n = 109 695). Alirante la demandon per pritakso de la kapablobezonoj en laboraj situacioj por la 21-a jarcento, ni kombinas kvin unuopajn indikilojn: uzon de perbuŝaj lertoj, uzon de legaj lertoj, uzon de skribaj lertoj, uzon de numeraj lertoj, kaj uzon de lertoj pri IKT (informada kaj komunika teknologio). Ni kvantigas relativajn genrajn diferencojn kun konsidero al ĝeneralaj kategorioj de okupoj. Ni prezentas atestaĵon pri lingva genrofendo favora al viroj en ĉiuj el la analizitaj lingvolertoj; ekzistas, tamen, diferencoj laŭ la lando kaj la kategorio de okupo.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Language differences at work
  • 3.The gender gap indicator: Data and methods
    • 3.1Data
    • 3.2An indicator to compute the gender gap of the intensity of language used at work
  • 4.Results
  • 5.Discussion and conclusions
  • Acknowledgements
  • Notes
  • References
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