Why are women leaving their jobs? ​​Is it the persistent gender pay gap, workload demands, or something else that isn’t shared? The short answer is: there isn’t a singular answer. It’s important to consider the most common answers when that question comes up. Working women are wanting more opportunities, flexibility, and representation in their workplaces, and many professionals question themselves with – how can employers do more to elevate the women and diverse population in their company?

Here are some reasons why women are leaving their careers, and reasons why they are choosing to stay.

Why They’re Leaving

An Increase In Responsibilities and Burnout

If you’ve felt especially burnt out and overworked since the beginning of 2020, you’re not alone. A 2021 Statista survey found that 77% of women reported their workload had increased since the outbreak of Covid-19. Additionally, they reported that their responsibilities at home grew tremendously. Although men also reported an increase in responsibilities, women felt more obligated to reduce their work hours.

As stated earlier, some women are worried that they can’t give their best effort at work given the circumstances. That worry left them with the decision to leave their positions. Others left their jobs due to burnout from their unmanageable workload. Burnout isn’t something new. It happens to more people than you’d think, especially with the modern work structure. Before technology was integrated into our work lives, there could be a physical separation from work for most people. Nowadays, your coworkers or employer can reach you on your personal phone, there’s little to no separation from your job. Additionally, if you’re working full-time, it’s expected that you work 40 hours a week but with the constant push of hustle culture, people sometimes end up working up to 70 hours a week. This environment can end up affecting work performance and one’s overall health.

Women Are Underrecognized and Underpaid

There are more women working in male-dominated positions, but according to Pew Research Center, 25% still find themselves making less than their male counterparts. First off, it is just unfair to pay someone less because of their gender. Secondly, while money may not be the key to happiness, some women are the main breadwinners for their families. Reduced wages can be a really big thorn in their financial side. Due to a lack of proper compensation, some mothers end up choosing between their family or career.

In the same vein, women are still largely underrepresented in high-paying occupations. Why? The majority of women report that they work in low-paying positions. These positions offer little to no opportunities for career advancement. Women are hardworking and ambitious, and when companies don’t recognize this, it can lower morale and lead to more women leaving their jobs for another company that they know will appreciate them even more.

Why They’re Staying

Improvements In Workplace Culture

It’s crucial for organizations to make an effort to progress into a more inclusive work environment. If women aren’t included or even considered within important conversations at work, they won’t feel comfortable enough to voice their concerns without the fear of consequences. Thankfully, employers are starting to make an inclusive workplace culture a priority and providing outlets for women to voice their concerns. Things like anonymous company reviews give women a safer space to reflect on their company.

Companies like Gopuff and Peloton are prime examples of a company putting women at the forefront of its initiatives. Gopuff’s work environment has an approval rating of 89% from their female employees and Peloton received a 2021 Best Companies for Women Award. The more companies put women and other diverse employees first, the more supportive, inclusive, and rewarding their work environment will be.

Support From Women In Leadership Positions

Along with improving workplace culture, seeing other women in leadership positions and offering mentorship can be encouraging for women wanting to move upward in their company. Historically, women haven’t had the same access to opportunities as their male counterparts so it’s refreshing to see women moving into high-level positions. According to a study by the Center for Creative Leadership, participants that had female bosses reported that they felt more supported and experienced less job-related burnout. The same study also found that having more women in an organization predicted more job satisfaction, organizational dedication, and more meaningful work. Companies are starting to recognize and act on the benefit and importance of having more women not only in their organizations but also in leadership positions.

Better Work-Life Integration

Too many women have felt guilty or that they were falling behind when seeking more work-life balance. Relaxing can feel like a waste of time when your work is always trying to grab your attention. Recently, employers have started to offer more flexible work schedules that give employees more work-life integration. This approach may prevent some of the burnout, which was discussed as one of the reasons why women are leaving their jobs. With events like the Covid-19 outbreak, more companies started letting employees work remotely. They also started to recognize the benefits of employees being able to work on a flexible schedule. They can compartmentalize their workday which relieves some of the stress that employees face when juggling work and personal responsibilities. Work-life integration benefits working parents as it doesn’t make them sacrifice their family or career for the sake of the other.

There are many reasons women have decided to leave their jobs as there are many reasons they choose to stay at their job. More recently, with the COVID-19 pandemic and cultural shifts, everyone has had to make the decision of whether or not to stay with their employers. Thankfully, more companies are starting to offer women a supportive, diverse, and inclusive culture so employees don’t have to choose. When they do this, especially during trying times, women are more likely to be motivated to stay.