Editorial

WOMEN IN TOP JOBS ARE PRONE TO DIVORCE MORE THAN WOMEN

A study has revealed that successful women are more likely to experience marital breakdown than their male counterparts. Being promoted to a leading role in business or politics can lead to a marked increase in divorce rates for women – but not for men.

The study on the impact of career growth on relationships in Sweden, which was published by the World Economic a Forum and the London School of Economics Business Review, discovered a link to a rise in divorce rates for women who enjoy a successful career.

By studying in Sweden, the researchers say they can get a sense of the future for other countries that are moving toward more gender-equal labour markets. In the past three decades, Swedish women have surpassed men in their rate of higher education, and labour force participation has reached a similar level between the sexes.

Professor of Economics at Swedish Institute of Social Research at Stockholm University Johanna Rickne and Oile Folke, associate professor in the Department of Government at Uppsala University analyse the relationship trajectories of men and women who went from being an employee to being promoted to the CEO of a firm with at least 100 people within a decade which ended in 2018.

They found that after becoming CEO of a company, women began divorcing at a higher rate than men with the same career transition.

Rickne and Folke theorise that the tendency for women to “marry up” means their promotion to a top job could create frictions at home as the economic and status balance of a couple changes over time.

Contributed by HE Prof Colin O Jarrett
Director of News and Current Affairs

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