How will the optical industry be affected by changing gender roles?

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This monthly column is a special collaboration between the Optical Women’s Association (OWA) and Optometric Management. The focus: enhancing opportunities and education for women in optometry. Learn more: opticalwomen.com.

In marketing, we constantly look at trends. What is shaping the world around us? What is next? How is that going to impact the industries in which we work?

For example, about 70% of optometry classes are female, according to the AOA. How will this, and attitudes toward gender and gender equality on the whole, affect our industry? Will we see a lessening of gender identities in the future?

The agency at which I work recently conducted a study that could shed some light on what we may see in the optical industry. The study draws on the experiences and points of view of more than 12,000 men and women in 32 countries regarding how far gender equality has come. (See the complete study here: http://bit.ly/2IZHZwQ .)

RIGHTS VS. POWER

Having rights does not mean power: A total of 56% of women and 41% of men globally agree that women today have rights but no real power. This could correlate with the lack of women in C-Suite positions, or those that begin with “chief,” such as CEO, as 66% of consumers worldwide agree that there are not enough women in executive positions today.

But, with so many women entering the optometric workforce, and the presence of women in leadership to support the new generation, that seems likely to change in our industry.

BABIES OVER BOARDROOMS

For everyone, family comes first: A total of 73% of men and 72% of women globally agree that being a successful parent is more important than having a successful career. However, millennials, who are looking for more meaningful careers while being dedicated parents, are particularly conflicted. While only 29% of millennials feel guilty for leaving their child(ren) to go to work, 46% feel guilty for not having enough time to play with their kids. This statistic represents millennials regardless of gender. As this generation continues to graduate from optometry school, it seems unlikely that women will allow their careers to take a backseat to child rearing, resulting in less drop out from the work force and more representation in positions of power.

GENDER DISTINCTIONS ARE FADING

Study respondents received a list of 25 important traits and attributes, many of which respondents indicated for both genders: smart, hardworking, responsible, funny, creative/innovative, trustworthy and confident. Most also believe that members of both genders are equally likely to be good leaders, good bosses and good negotiators. However, differences still exist, such as men being associated with mechanical tasks and women with nurturing.

This, perhaps, shows that we still have some work to do. But, taking into account the progress already made and the promise of the future, it seems gender bias and differentiated norms will lessen in the future optical industry. OM

MS. MYERS is senior vice president at Havas PR North America. She has worked with clients in the optical industry for more than 18 years, including supporting the trade marketing and PR efforts for Transitions Optical. She is a member of the OWA Communications Committee and the OWA Program Committee.