Working women feel more pressure in the context of increasing household responsibilities and workload since the pandemic outbreak

The pressure on full time working women has significantly increased since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, as they face more household responsibilities (65 percent) and higher overall workload (33 percent), according to a Deloitte study conducted globally. The number of women who say they are responsible for most of the caregiving duties for children or other family member has nearly tripled during the pandemic, from 17 percent to 48 percent. Working mothers reported extra responsibilities related to childcare (58 percent) and home-schooling (53 percent).

About 82 percent of the participants in the study say their daily routine has been disrupted by the pandemic, and 70 percent of them are concerned about the impact these changes could have on their ability to progress in their careers. Most participants also feel they always need to be available at work (53 percent of the women without caregiving responsibilities and 44 percent of those with such tasks).

However, despite the challenges created by the pandemic, women remain optimistic about their potential to progress over the next year, either by taking on more responsibilities because of promotions (52 percent) or by obtaining a pay raise (47 percent). On the other hand, 60 percent of respondents question the opportunity to move up in their organization when considering the effort it takes. In this context, 41 percent mentioned the risk of deteriorating their work/life balance, and 30 percent cited non-inclusive behaviours, such as micro-aggressions and exclusion from meetings or projects. In this context, the study underlines the need for employers to ensure that diversity, respect, and inclusion are non-negotiable values in the culture of everyday work.

“Considering the study’s findings, but also the uncertainties regarding the future evolution of the pandemic, organizations have to take actions to concretely support women who are facing additional responsibilities caused by the pandemic. The research also aimed at identifying such measures to help women progress in their career without negative consequences on their personal life. These include providing flexible working options, more mentoring opportunities and creating learning experiences that fit within employees’ daily new routine. We can also identify this approach in the Romanian business environment, as employers are looking for solutions to address the difficulties women have been facing recently,” said Raluca Bontas, Global Employer Services Partner, Deloitte Romania.

Amid the pandemic, many women remain loyal to their current employers, a third (32 percent) planning to stay with them for two to five years, and 30 percent for more than five years. Asked what the actions would be their employer could take to convince them to stay, 55 percent mentioned a promotion or a pay raise, 48 percent, more flexible working options, 47 percent, ensuring  adequate resources for the team, 45 percent, better benefits, 40 percent, additional learning opportunities and being engaged in interesting projects. There are also notable differences between women with caregiving responsibilities and those without. The latter prefer career related opportunities, learning and professional development (49 percent, vs 33 percent of those with caregiving responsibilities), while working mothers are more interested in better benefits such as medical or parental leave (49 percent vs. 33 percent).