A1 Journal article (refereed)
Gendered Work-life Ideologies among IT Professionals (2022)

Heikkinen, S., & Kivijärvi, M. (2022). Gendered Work-life Ideologies among IT Professionals. NORA: Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research, 30(26), 108-123. https://doi.org/10.1080/08038740.2021.2015433

The research was funded by Strategic Research Council at the Research Council of Finland.

JYU authors or editors

Heikkinen, Suvi
Kivijärvi, Marke

Publication details

All authors or editors: Heikkinen, Suvi; Kivijärvi, Marke

Journal or series: NORA: Nordic Journal of Feminist and Gender Research

ISSN: 0803-8740

eISSN: 1502-394X

Publication year: 2022

Volume: 30

Issue number: 26

Pages range: 108-123

Publisher: Routledge, Taylor & Francis

Publication country: United States

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08038740.2021.2015433

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Partially open access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/79332

Abstract

The study investigates the discourses IT professionals use to produce work–life relations. We focus on work–life ideologies and explore the agencies produced, as well as whether and how they are gendered. Our data were collected in interviews with 24 women and men working in the IT industry in Finland. Our results show, first, that work–life relations were constructed discursively through two different work–life ideologies, and second, that these ideologies produced different gendered agencies in reconciling work with life. In our study, work–life talk produced different positions for women and men, which were influenced by gendered norms and social expectations. We conclude that gendered agencies in work-life relations may have negative implications for both women and men who work in the dynamic but male-dominated ITindustry.

Keywords: working life; labour market relationships; information technology sector; leisure; family life; combining; gender; gender roles; gendering; equality (values)