“How can I come to work on Saturday when I have a family?”: Ghanaian women and bank work in a neo-liberal era.

Abstract

This chapter examines the changing conditions of women’s formal employment in Ghana’s banking sector within the broader context of economic liberalisation and globalisation. The study shows that liberalisation of the banking industry created new employment opportunities and improved some of the material rewards associated with bank work. However, these benefits were unevenly distributed, with men, senior employees and permanent workers often better positioned to take advantage of opportunities for advancement. At the same time, increased competition within the banking sector contributed to longer working hours, heavier workloads and greater pressure on employees. These changes created particular difficulties for women, who frequently remained responsible for a disproportionate share of childcare and domestic work. The chapter argues that women’s increased access to formal salaried employment does not automatically lead to greater empowerment. Workplace expectations can combine with existing gender norms within the household to create new pressures and constraints for women, even within occupations generally considered secure and prestigious.