A Deloitte Global survey finds that nearly seven out of 10 women who experienced negative shifts in their routine as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic believe their career progression will slow down.

The survey of nearly 400 working women across nine countries, at a variety of career levels of seniority and spanning various industries, reveals the pandemic is affecting their daily routines, physical and mental health, and careers. The survey shows the pandemic’s impact on the work/life balance and well-being of countless working women, and highlights how the pandemic could threaten some of the progress made on gender equality in the workplace in recent years.

Source: Deloitte

The survey suggested a few actions that companies must take to support women’s continued success and progress within their organisations. From making flexible working the norm to addressing microaggressions in the workplace, there are six critical areas of focus for employers to take action and ensure that women continue to advance in the workplace.

Lockdowns and shut-downs related to the pandemic have resulted in many women more frequently working from home: now, more than a third (37 per cent), are working from home full-time versus just 1 per cent before the pandemic. Among survey respondents, 89 per cent said demands on their personal time and daily routine have changed due to the pandemic, with 92 per cent of that group indicating that these shifts have had a negative impact.

Additionally, the number of women who say they are responsible for 75 per cent or more of caregiving responsibilities (e.g. childcare or care of other family members) has nearly tripled to 48 per cent during the pandemic compared to their caring responsibilities prior to COVID-19.

These extra demands across work and home come at a heavy price. Forty per cent of working women who experienced negative shifts in their daily routine say they’re unable to balance their work and life commitments, and nearly 40 per cent cite significant consequences to their physical and mental well-being.

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