Research shows that lower incomes are linked to higher stress levels and lower overall satisfaction levels. There is still a large pay-gap between men and women in most countries. Also, burnout levels are shown to be significantly higher in women than men due to differences in job conditions.
Especially mothers in paid employment are 23% more likely to experience burnout than fathers in paid employment. The Covid pandemic has catalyzed this trend even more, since the many day care centers closed and often mothers had to fill in on childcare responsibilities.
Even before the pandemic researchers have shown that women were more vulnerable to burnout than men because women were less likely to be promoted than men. Therefore, they were in positions with less authority, which can lead to more stress and frustration. Women were also more likely to be single-parents and therefore experience child-related strains and invest more time in domestic tasks and have lower self-esteem. All these things can cause burnout. The covid pandemic has clearly amplified these existing inequalities and imbalances. During the pandemic mothers spent significantly more time on childcare chores than before, and this is shown to be linked directly to lower wellbeing. In many households women were already the default caregiver, but due to the pandemic support systems were stopped, which previously allowed the mothers to balance paid work and domestic work. Having to homeschool children, while following paid employment can be very stressful and unsatisfying. It can feel like there is no time to do anything well.
In September 2020, just when the pandemic was gaining pace, more than 860’000 women dropped out of the US workforce, compared to just over 200’000 men. Many mothers decided to become stay-at-home mothers in order to take care of their children that could not go to schools and day care centers anymore. Many women therefore lost social lifelines during the lockdown, which may have been emotional outlets for stress. These women may have been already busily juggling home and work life and the abrupt avalanche of extra domestic responsibilities may have pushed them further than they could go.
Poor mental health among women in the workplace could discourage future generations from setting ambitions in professional life. Especially, if they plan to start a family. This could catalyze the gender inequalities that already exist in terms of pay and seniority in the labor market even more.
In addition, new ways of working such as hybrid could impact gender equality. Researchers have shown that women are more likely than men to work from home in a post-pandemic world. However, there is evidence, that people who work from home are less likely to get promoted than those who have more face-time with managers.
It is shown that if we feel treated unjustly, our negative feelings are not just towards the company we work for, but also towards ourselves and the value of our contribution, and where we are positioned on a hierarchy of worth.
In order to prevent an exodus of female talent, organizations must appreciate that old workplace practices are no longer fit for purpose. This means that managers need to rethink how fairness and equality is promoted in the company in terms of pay equality and equal opportunities for promotion. The organizations need to create a culture of transparency where everyone – mothers, fathers and non-parents – feel valued and can reach their professional potential while also dealing with what is going on at home.
