Your perception is accurate—there are more men now in marriages with female earners than at any point in recent history. Observing school carpool lines, it’s evident that an increasing number of men are showing up during hours that were once strictly for work. On the whole, male workforce participation has declined compared to previous years. According to data from March 2024, a notable reduction in male employment has occurred. In the 1950s, 96% of men held either full-time or part-time jobs, whereas just 86% of men aged 25–54 are working in 2024.
However, as with any sociocultural shift, the factors behind this change are intricate and varied, not merely linked to a rise in female financial providers within households.
“From my vantage point as a business leader, I’ve had the honor of collaborating with countless entrepreneurs and innovators, and I view the trend of reduced working hours among men as a complex matter influenced by various factors,” remarks Jon Morgan, CEO and editor-in-chief of Venture Smarter, a consultancy dedicated to assisting startups and small enterprises in San Francisco.
“One significant factor contributing to this is the evolving economic landscape,” he continues. “The decline of manufacturing and traditionally male-centric fields has resulted in fewer stable, lucrative jobs with long hours. As these industries diminish, men are increasingly turning to careers in sectors that promote a better work-life balance, such as technology and service roles, which may not require the same time commitment.”
This new reality presents a picture of men enjoying mid-afternoon strolls in their neighborhoods, grocery shopping while their partners handle work calls, or supervising their child’s school outings—activities typically reserved for standard nine-to-five office job hours.
1. The pursuit of balance
The era of men working 80-plus hours per week is over for many, as they now seek to balance professional demands with the physical and mental responsibilities of managing a home and family alongside their partners. “Particularly among younger generations, there is a greater emphasis on flexible working hours and spending quality time with loved ones or pursuing personal hobbies,” says Morgan. “This transformation is partly motivated by a desire to prevent the burnout that plagued earlier generations, who often sacrificed personal time for long working hours.”
In a survey conducted by the Bipartisan Policy Center in 2024, 57% of men aged 20 to 54 reported that personal health issues were the primary reason they were not engaged in work.
2. Alternate ways of making a living
The pandemic has ushered in a transformative era of work, moving away from cubicles and extended workdays.
“The advent of remote work and the gig economy has allowed men to discover alternative income sources that do not necessarily follow the traditional full-time job framework,” explains Morgan. “Freelancing, contracting, and part-time positions grant individuals greater flexibility regarding their work hours and enable them to customize their professional lives to fit their personal requirements.”
“Corporate loyalty is becoming a relic of the past (for both employers and employees),” observes Robert Longley, a business consultant located in Williamsburg, Massachusetts. “The era of dedicating 30 years to a single company for a pension is long gone. Nowadays, individuals might hold eight different jobs throughout their careers, likening their professional trajectories more to a portfolio rather than a straightforward path within one organization.”
3. Normalizing involvement in family life
“I recall the times when senior staff would boast about the vacation days they had forfeited that year,” says Longley. “That’s no longer the case. People are taking their vacation time, and I believe that in the post-COVID world, individuals are seeking to spend more time with family and friends.” Nowadays, men face less pressure to choose between work and family commitments. Recent generations of men are more actively engaged in parenting compared to their fathers and grandfathers.
“Men are increasingly regarded as primary caregivers or stay-at-home dads, prompting some to leave their careers to focus on familial responsibilities,” states Harrison Tang, CEO and co-founder of Spokeo, a phone number lookup service, based in Pasadena, California.
Amanda Augustine, a career specialist at TopResume, a certified professional career coach and resume writer based in New York City, notes that societal perceptions of masculinity are changing.
“Conventional concepts of masculinity—especially those tied to being the chief financial provider—are transforming, with growing acceptance of diverse roles and contributions within families. Although not yet standard, there is a diminishing stigma surrounding women as the primary earners compared to previous generations,” she explains.
4. More successful women in the workforce
According to statistics from the National Center for Education Statistics, women constituted the majority of college-educated employees in the American job market in 2022. With more women entering the workforce, there could be fewer job opportunities and, in some instances, lower salary prospects for men—potentially a hurdle for them. A 2022 study from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston indicated that men were more inclined to exit the workforce if their anticipated earnings fell short compared to the earnings of other workers in their field.
Augustine recounts an instance where a friend and his spouse relocated from a metropolitan area to establish a family and had to make difficult decisions as a result. “They mutually agreed that the wife would continue with her demanding career in finance—which provided her with the opportunity to work remotely regularly—while the husband would take on the role of full-time caregiver during their son’s infant and toddler years,” she states. “This decision was logical since the wife’s position offered more flexibility and could be retained during their move to a different part of the state, whereas the transition would have necessitated him changing jobs. Additionally, her job, although challenging, is also highly lucrative.”
5. Economic factors
“Economic influences are also crucial; government assistance programs can sometimes deter work, while stagnant wages render jobs less financially enticing,” shares Dakota Brown, a licensed relationship and family therapist at the Los Angeles Centers for Alcohol and Drug Abuse. “While the gig economy provides flexibility, it frequently falls short on stability and benefits, which may be more attractive to some men than conventional employment. These trends necessitate significant responses, including retraining opportunities, educational initiatives, healthcare access, and policies that advocate for work-life harmony and tackle wage stagnation.”
6. Mental health and addiction issues on the rise
The Association of American Medical Colleges published an article entitled “Men and mental health: What are we missing?” highlighting that men experience higher rates of mental health disorders compared to women, but fewer men seek treatment. The article stated, “At one point in 2020, the number of men accessing mental health services in the United States surged more than five times compared to the previous year. This increase exceeded that of women seeking these services during the same period. However, by 2021, only 40% of men identified as having a mental illness received care in the past year, compared to 52% of women with a similar diagnosis.”
No singular issue can be attributed to the decline in men’s workforce participation. Similarly, to create a healthier, more rewarding workspace for men—and everyone—comprehensive systemic changes may be necessary to boost workforce engagement.
“Without thorough strategies to confront these challenges,” Brown warns, “the economic and social impacts could be detrimental in the long term.”
