Title: Managing Gender Inequalities in Workplace during COVID-19 Pandemic Among Higher Education Staff

Biography:

Abstract

The outbreak of COVID-19 has created colossal challenges for higher education institutions. The urgent and unplanned transformation from traditional learning to distance learning occurred while the majority of institution lack sufficient resources and experience of managing this transformation. Besides, the majority of higher education staff were unready and lack the appropriate support. This transformation and exceptional circumstances have amplified the inequalities among males and females in higher education institutions, leading to extra pressures and responsibilities on females which in turn is affecting their productivity. This study explores the various challenges which higher education staff were experiencing during COVID-19 pandemic, identifies inequalities among males and females and recommends ways of managing these inequalities. To achieve this objective, 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted with instructors both male sand females from four Jordanian universities. Data was coded and analysed using NVIVO 12. The results demonstrate that there is a gender gap in high education institutions in Jordan; females are disproportionately burdened with extra paid and unpaid workload during COVID-19 pandemic. This inequality is affecting females' productivity and promotion.  Keywords: Gender inequalities, workload, productivity, Covid-19, Jordan, Higher education.