Working women are far more likely than men to have their careers disrupted because of expectations they will take charge of household duties during the pandemic, the Makati Business Club, Inc. (MBC) said, citing a study it conducted with the UN Women C-suite Project.
“Nearly 70% of women experienced negative changes in their work-life routines and believe their career progression will slow down as well,” Angie Zafra, head of the MBC-UN Women C-Suite Project said at an online forum Friday.
“The experiences of working women during this crisis has led to the realization that many women are either planning to take a career break or exit the workforce due to anxiety, burnout, and competing priorities at home,” she added.
The study took in the responses to online surveys of 200 respondents to look into how the pandemic has impacted their professional and personal lives. Online interviews were also conducted with executive-level workers.
“Women have been burned out physically, emotionally, and psychologically during the COVID-19 lockdown. Some women also reportedly suffered from domestic violence,” according to the report, known as “Women in the Philippine C-Suite.”
In Luzon, 42% of female and 16% of male respondents said their careers were affected by the pandemic. Of the women who said they were affected, 10% were demoted or had their working hours reduced “because of home duties,” while 21% saw their salaries cut.
“COVID-19 has increased the amount of care work responsibilities of women,” the report said. “Assisting children in their homeschooling typically fell on women.
Some 80% of married women said they received assistance from their spouses during the lockdown, while 100% of men said their spouses helped them.
The report found that “women and men (79%) equally prioritize family… over their careers.”
Male respondents also said they have “stepped up” in taking on household responsibilities. The men said they are now more selective with work projects to increase time spentnwith their families.
Women account for 39% of the global workforce, but 54% of women lost their jobs during the pandemic. The study found that more women worked in heavily affected sectors such as education, hospitality and apparel.
“(Companies must) identify measures to protect vulnerable employees, retain employees who may be overburdened by current difficulties, and determine what works in the ‘new normal’ as part of business recovery from COVID-19,” according to the report. — Keren Concepcion G. Valmonte
