This blog was originally posted on our sister site Getwork.
Pandemic unemployment levels were a gendered problem. Women were disproportionately affected by job loss, causing a “she-cession”.
A lot of this can be attributed to two key factors. Firstly, women disproportionality shoulder caring responsibilities (even worse for BIPOC women). Then, the employment sectors that women workers have traditionally dominated – service and hospitality jobs, nursing, and education – were either the industries dominated by job losses or were on the frontline, exposing women to high levels of stress. Women lost their jobs and left the labour force out of necessity. Even women who were able to perform their jobs remotely faced the herculean task of working while simultaneously providing childcare and facilitating distance learning.
The latest Women in the Workplace study from McKinsey found that the gap between women leaders leaving their roles versus their male counterparts was the highest it’s ever been, despite lockdown restrictions easing at least two years prior.
In the US, the female recession is so severe that many, including President Biden, have called it a national emergency. As the number of two-income households declines, consumer spending is expected to decline in kind. Plus, there’s also a growing body of evidence that shows having a diverse team at the top can positively impact company profits and share performance. Fewer working women equals dire economic consequences at the individual, company and country levels.
However, it’s not all doom and gloom, the rise of hybrid and remote models is providing a crucial lifeline for female workers. Employers can and should act now to increase diversity in their teams and keep women in the workforce.
How can employers support women in the workforce?
Flexibility
True flexibility involves letting go of the traditional nine-to-five, five-days-a-week schedule and in-person office expectations that have been a prerequisite to professional advancement. Remote work, and hybrid opportunities, as well as flexibility in hours of work, can substantially improve the diversity of workers.
Employers should also recognise the impact this flexibility has on progression opportunities. Those who choose to be office-based are more likely to progress, but employers should work to make access to progression more equitable for more workers.
Of course, not all businesses can offer employees such flexibility. If the business requires set hours or in-person work, then focus must be placed on creating the infrastructure working women need to thrive. Affordable, on-site childcare can remove one major hurdle, as can dedicated lactation rooms for new mothers.
Paid leave
Examining parental leave policies is another hugely important factor in supporting working women–and that does not apply solely to maternity leave.
Overall, working men take only a fraction of the leave that women take upon the birth of a child. Maternity leave provision is up to 52 weeks, 38 of which are paid at a statutory rate or above, while men are only legally entitled to 2 weeks (an amount that many men do not take. The disparities in leave times among men and women can serve not only to reinforce outdated gender roles as they pertain to childcare but also to harm the careers of new mothers who take longer leave.
Outside of this, employers that provide generous holiday, caring, and sick pay entitlement demonstrate to employees their recognition of a home and family life outside of the workplace.
Returnships
Finally, if women do need to downshift or put their careers on hold, we must ensure they have a way back in once they’re ready to return. Companies should be working to actively recruit parents or caregivers who have left the workforce. Returnship programmes designed to help women re-launch their careers have been hugely successful at companies like Intuit, PayPal, Goldman Sachs, IBM, General Motors and more. These programmes allow returning workers a chance to resharpen skills after a career pause, and ultimately benefit companies by making employees more driven and engaged.
Making changes that eliminate these types of barriers for women in all professions, not just white-collar industries can significantly impact the number of women remaining in the workforce. In the long-term, national policies that help to lower child-care costs and mandate paid time off for new parents are necessary. But in the short-term employers must be willing to adopt new policies, as study after study continues to underscore how our country’s economic health hinges on a diverse workforce. Without working women, it simply doesn’t work.
Read more: Is unconscious bias damaging your company?