Women have been fighting inequality in the workplace and progressing in a positive manner for years, but still battle mental health issues that often go unaddressed. We may be moving forward professionally, but no job or promotion can change the state of women's mental health struggles unless they are addressed and tackled to the best of our ability.
Amanda Schiavo wrote an article in December about why women employees burn out more than male employees, specifically women with children. Women with children spend 20 more hours than men working amongst tasks within the house, such as chores and caring for children.
In a survey, just over half of women said they experienced high-levels of stress within the workplace on a week-to-week basis; almost 20 percent more women said they experienced a feeling of burnout in the workplace. Because of the pandemic, burning out and stress levels rose for women, and many took days off due to stress.
Employers can help lower the extreme levels of stress and burnout within women by providing support systems and resources in the workplace for women who are struggling; employees who feel burnt out need to have the proper resources to help maintain a stable mental health instead of scrambling to find ways to get help when their mental health is declining.
Flexible work hours and an increase in communication has the potential to help women feel more comfortable and less stressed in the workplace. But, noticing the signs of burnout can help prevent it more than anything.
Schiavo said these signs can include a decrease in productivity and social activity, as well as an increase in negative moods such as worrying and irritability.
Knowing these signs can help employers support women in the workplace when they start to break down to the point of resigning from their jobs.
References:
Schiavo, Amanda. “Why female employees are burning out at a faster rate than men.” Ebn, 01 December, 2020,
https://www.benefitnews.com/news/why-female-employees-are-burning-out-at-as-faster-rate-tha n-men
