Working Conditions in a Feminised Working Environment

Abstract

We present the results of a case study on working conditions in a feminised working environment, and how they are perceived by workers and managers. The study took place in a private health clinic, and the methodology included semi-structured interviews and direct observation. We observed the initial exploratory proposition that sex segregation of work explains the working conditions in feminised sectors, as well as the perceptions of stakeholders about them. The main effects are the invisibility of inequalities and the psychosocial risks associated with working conditions. Those were marked by the amount of hours worked and workload, the precariousness and nonparticipation in decisions, requirement of extra tasks, exposure to aggression and harassment, emotional intensity, non-recognition of their competences, and corresponding devaluation of wages.

Keywords

• Condições de Trabalho
• Segregação Ocupacional
• Mulheres
• Riscos Profissionais