1. Methodological Innovations & Key Findings Jean Martin Department of Sociology UNIVERSITY of OXFORD From the Women and Employment Survey

2. Innovations Work and life histories Classification of womens occupations Measure of occupational segregation at the workplace Attitudes to work, jobs and roles Complementary qualitative studies

3. Work and life histories Dates of key events: birth, marriage, end of marriage, births of children Dates of changes between working full and part time and not working Reasons for changes Details of all jobs

4. Economic activity by age (except FT students)

5. % women working by age and birth cohort

6. % of women returning to work by period of 1 st birth

7. Occupational segregation Previous measures had been at national level WES found much higher levels of segregation at workplace level 63% of women worked in jobs only done by other women – –58% of FT and 70% of PT workers 81% of husbands worked in jobs only done by other men

8. Classifying womens occupations: RG class and WES I II IIINM IIIM IV V 1.Professional 2.Teachers 3.Nursing, medical, social 4.Other intermediate n-m 5.Clerical 6.Sales 7.Skilled manual 8.Semi-skilled factory 9.Semi-skilled domestic 10.Other semi-skilled 11.Unskilled % 1 6 7 6 30 9 7 10 11 4 9 % 1 19 43 7 25 9

9. Occupational mobility 37% experienced downward mobility on returning to work after childbearing 45% of women returning to work part time were downwardly mobile –compared with 19% returning full time

10. Attitudes to working/not working If working: Financial dependence on work Intrinsic attractions of work Coping with home and work If not working: Feelings about not having a job Financial need to work

11. Findings High financial dependence on work –Not just for pin money Non working women with children had higher financial stress Most enjoyed work and were satisfied with their jobs –Hours of work and people at work more important than pay and prospects Young childless women less satisfied

12. General attitudes to women and work Traditional attitudes to home and work Benefits of work to women and family Attitudes to women working with children of different ages Psychological stress Financial independence Wives views of husbands attitudes Importance of various recent legal and policy changes

13. Findings A husbands job is to earn the money; a wifes job is to look after the home and family 46% agreed (15% in 2002) A married woman with children under school age ought to stay at home 65% agreed (46% in 2002)

14. Complementary qualitative studies Using mixed methods wasnt really innovatory even in 1980 Qualitative research to inform research questions and questionnaire design Qualitative follow-up studies to explore issues in detail –the meaning of unemployment to those not working

15. In conclusion The technological challenges My favourite survey ever!