It’s a phenomenon Harvard historian and economist Claudia Goldin calls “greedy work” and she says it’s a big reason why the pay gap between men and women persists — because the people typically tasked with caring for kids, the house, or elderly parents simply can’t put in as much time and energy at the office. ALISON BEARD: How has this focus on greedy work or growth of greedy work affected women’s careers? We’re talking about jobs for which you can work… Many flexible jobs are jobs for which people work 50 hours a week.