The jobless figures for May showed unemployment at 9.4%, a 25-year high. But while rates for men and women were roughly equal in 2007, 10.5% of men are now unemployed, compared with 8% of women. Four of every five jobs lost in the past two years had been held by men. The gender gap is the largest ever seen in US labor statistics, which go back to 1948.

“What’s happening in this recession is unprecedented,” said Mark Perry, an economist at the University of Michigan. “It’s structurally different because the job losses are so concentrated among men.”
Blue-collar jobs in manufacturing and construction are hemorrhaging while white-collar work in increasingly female-dominated, often publicly funded fields, such as education and health, are holding steady or growing.

Men are being forced into new family roles in greater numbers than ever before. Taking care of children, house chores, errands, cooking all areas where men have wanted to do a fair share. While many can embrace this new era, long term unemployment has many consequences.

The stress of consistently looking for work and not finding work leads to the following issues:

1) Short temper/increased conflict
2) Lack of self confidence
3) Less communication
4) Financial stress
5) Lack of adjustment to new family roles

It is critical that families begin to communicate about these issues without judgment. Create a daily, weekly and monthly plan. Look for a secure, realistic home based business. If you are a man or women unemployed, put yourself on an hourly productivity schedule. This increases productivity and decreases stress.

Dr. Brian has helped men and women with job search and interviewing skills. If you would like a free coaching session to make a plan, help with stress, or just chat, contact Dr. Brian directly.