Company Announcement - Women’s Month traditionally spotlights the challenges facing career women. Thankfully, things are slowly changing, and the more they change the more the male of the species has to adjust. This means corporate man is under pressure, too. But the archetypal strong, silent type has trouble asking for help. Perhaps women should be more sensitive to this reality. We should be aware that long-term trends are women-friendly, increasing the pressure felt by some men.

One US study says 60 women graduate from college for every 40 men. More women enrol. More men drop out. Graduation numbers favoured men two to one in the ‘60s. Today they are three to two in favour of women. One OECD report says for the first time ever today’s young men will be less educated than dad. Commentators note that the manufacturing economy valued men’s strengths, but a knowledge-based economy requires fewer physical competencies.

However, men still dominate the C-suite and a US federal commission says at Fortune 2000 companies only 5% of senior managers are women. Women rightly demand change. They lobby. They complain. One complaint is that so few powerful men volunteer to mentor young women executives.

Are men being overly defensive? In a way, yes, but why?

Some US men now avoid mentoring women. They worry about suggestions of impropriety in one-on-one sessions, while some companies advise male executives not to remain alone in a closed room with a woman.

Sexual harassment litigation is a big fear

The issue is serious, but it should be acknowledged that some women take needless offence and over-react. Here in South Africa, the number of unfounded sexual harassment cases at the CCMA is alarming. Men are taking fright. Today, they even hesitate to compliment women about looking smart. We should also admit that women predators are not uncommon. The sexual revolution away from the office can also be confusing.

A New York Times report in July said 13% of millennial men expect to take time out of their careers to help raise their kids. Only 4% of older brothers in Generation X said the same. The big jump in the male percentage suggests new attitudes are taking root … but not everywhere.

A Harvard Business Review study indicates that male executives see work-life balance as a women’s issue. Senior managers believe it’s more acceptable for women to devote time to work-life balance … which means men don’t get the same consideration from top management. Quality of life suffers while the strain mounts on one’s personal life. The victims include men who work long hours.

In society, men are seen as providers – a finding confirmed in a Pew Research Centre study. They confront image problems when they can’t provide enough or women do better. (The woman who out-earns her man is still a rarity, but it’s starting to happen.)

New relationships need to be defined and awareness needs to grow that changing career dynamics affect more than one gender. Some men find these trends unnerving and depressing. However, before we start keeping male executives away from sharp objects and rooftops, we should perhaps acknowledge that men also face bewildering career issues and a little more understanding is in order.