ATLANTA — In a perfect storm of pressure, working women are dealing with the forces of home and jobs during this "burnout pandemic."
Now, two years into the pandemic, a new study finds more women are dealing with this struggle, despite some greater flexibility and hybrid work models for some.
A Deloitte study of more than 5,000 women in 10 countries found 53 percent reported stress levels higher than they were a year ago, 46 percent were burned out, and 33 percent have taken time off work due to mental health challenges. These are all factors that could drive women out of the workplace.
The Great Resignation has already left companies losing institutional knowledge, as they work to transform into post-COVID institutions that may allow greater flexibility for workers who are now used to working outside an office setting, but that's not an option for everyone.
Just one-third of those surveyed said their jobs offered flexible work options while 94 percent expressed concern that asking for more flexibility would hurt their careers or opportunities for advancement.
The study said hybrid models can help and hurt at the same time. For example, working women who are caregivers gain flexibility, but reported feeling excluded, dealing with harassment and microaggressions, and missing out on other aspects of their jobs that impact their progression at work, like exposure to leadership.
That trend of resignation could continue.
Ten percent of those surveyed said they were actively looking for a new position, an increase from the previous year, with most citing burnout as a driving factor. More than half plan to leave their current employer in the next two years.