Book Nook - Our (In)visible Work

 

In Hispanic households, Latinas are often nurturing matriarchs. Traditional gender roles place a significant burden on them to perform most household and caregiving duties at home and extra responsibilities in the workplace. They host family gatherings, provide caregiving, and frequently are undervalued translators for their work colleagues. Over decades, Latinas have been under-compensated in the U.S. workforce, earning 58 cents for every dollar white non-Hispanic men receive. They are widely expected to prioritize the needs of their families over their own aspirations and career goals, creating scenarios where they do more invisible work compared to others, particularly white men. This leaves less time and energy for advancing their careers or pursuing personal goals.   These observations are based on research and lived experience of Janelle E. Wells, Ph.D., and Doreen MacAulay, Ph.D., two esteemed authors, academics, and workplace experts, who have written a consequential new book, Our (In)visible Work.  It examines the causes and dangers of invisible work in our society, concluding that Hispanics, women, and other people of color are affected the most. Our (In)visible Work is available for purchase.

“When invisible work is distributed unequally in the workplace, it can significantly impact the economic empowerment of Hispanics,” said Dr. Wells, who is Hispanic and was raised by her Cuban-Dominican single mother. “The burden of unpaid household and caregiving tasks can limit their ability to pursue education, training, or better employment opportunities. This lack of economic independence can lead to financial insecurity, limited career advancement, and reliance on their spouses or partners for financial support.” Hispanic women spend a larger amount of time on domestic or work-related activities than Latino men, with this gender gap being the largest compared to their non-Hispanic counterparts. This means that Latinas work longer hours than their male counterparts and have less time for their invisible work, a scenario that leads to increased stress and burnout. Our (In)visible Work makes several observations about Hispanics and their invisible work: Hispanic women working in male-prevalent industries find it emotionally exhausting to be constantly reminded of their gender, dress, tone, age, emotions, and place in the space. Hispanics often must work harder to be likable, such as using an inviting tone and charismatic smile to disarm people. Hispanics often must monitor their voice, dress, and behavior to fit into professional environments.  Hispanics who speak multiple languages are often expected to translate or assist with language-related tasks, even if it is not part of their job duties. Hispanic women often must negotiate family responsibilities with their professional lives, which can be challenging and exhausting.   Dr. Wells and Dr. MacAulay said it is clear from research and interviews for their book that the strain, work, and stress resulting from emotional labor are hard to see and can have significant negative impacts if left ignored. In their book, Joy, a Hispanic professor in her 40s, described the emotional labor she experiences in the sports industry. “Working in the male-prevalent industry of sports as a Hispanic woman is emotionally exhausting. Every single day — yes, every day — I am reminded of my gender, my dress, my tone, my age, my emotions, and my place in this space,“ Joy said. “However, that doesn’t stop me; instead, it inspires me to make the space better for the next generation. I am also an educator at heart, so I can always find a teachable moment and provide resources.”

Another Hispanic woman, Rosa, in her 40s and working in human resources, discussed how she must tame her passionate Latina side in the workplace. “I have to constantly monitor my voice when I’m in the workplace,” she said. “As a Latina, I am passionate. I talk with my hands. My voice raises when I get excited. Yet often I am told I’m too emotional. I need to calm down my argumentative tone.” Further, Rosa said her bilingual skills are overworked and underappreciated. “Because I speak two languages, I am constantly asked to come translate even if it isn’t related to my job duties,” she said. “There could be a meeting going on, and I’m pulled from my work to come help. I am also regularly asked to translate briefing documents.” She specifically recalled staying up all night translating a briefing document for new clients from Mexico. Rosa felt that she did not have the option to decline the additional work without being reprimanded. In their book, Dr. Wells and Dr. MacAulay write that as employees become part of an organization, their identity becomes influenced by it. “This is helpful for job commitment: if people begin to feel like being an employee at ABC Inc. is part of who they are, they will commit to the organization and its success,” they write, “An issue can arise if someone begins to abandon their identity to fit the organization.” They said that Liz, a Hispanic technology specialist in her 60s, shared how she always hid her Hispanic heritage in the workplace to gain acceptance and respect in the male-prevalent technology world. Still, her heritage was revealed when the pandemic forced her to work from home. "When we first began working remotely, I remember the first time a coworker heard my son speaking Spanish to me. Their look was priceless when they heard me respond because they had no idea I could speak fluently,” Liz said. Personal stories like these provide a window into Hispanic women's daily struggles and triumphs in the workplace.

However, the authors noted that having to mask her Spanish accent in the workplace could negatively affect Liz. “If pieces of one’s identity become in conflict with one another, this can lead to unnecessary invisible work,” they write. “It is almost like being an actor performing on stage often to a discriminating audience, and that can be exhausting.” Further, Dr. Wells and Dr. MacAulay write, “If we truly want to value engagement and the people in our organization, we need to find ways to infuse these tasks into the job descriptions of the individuals who are completing the tasks. What needs to happen is a recognition of this work and its value toward the overall goal of the organization…. Therefore, individuals may see that organizations have the “tasks as assigned” clause — because when someone leaves a position…the job description for a new hire isn’t reflective of the actual tasks performed by the individual who had the position.” This recognition can be crucial to creating a more equitable and inclusive workplace. “Our society must recognize and value invisible work completed by Hispanics and others as essential labor,” said Dr. MacAulay. “This includes acknowledging, valuing, and possibly compensating individuals who take on these responsibilities and to promote more equitable distribution of duties within the workplace and life. Specifically, easing the traditional gender roles and expectations can help alleviate the burden of invisible work on Hispanic women.”

**** The authors have created a groundbreaking interactive web space, wellsquest.com/ourinvisiblework, as a platform designed with empathy to foster a sense of community and understanding among those who endure invisible work. About WellsQuest WellsQuest is a collection of business, sports, academia, and media professionals. We exist to learn, lead, and lift by (re) investing in people to empower work that matters within the workplace and the communities they serve. Please consider us partners versus hired resources who take a relational approach to create interactive and customized learning journeys. We have collaborated with Fortune 100 and 500 corporations, non-profit organizations, and academic institutions to help develop and enhance their approach to talent development and management strategy, particularly for mid-level management. Learn more about WellsQuest at www.wellsquest.com.