45% working parents discriminated against amid Covid

Almost half (45%) of working parents felt discriminated against for focusing on their families during the global pandemic, confirmed a new study.

Parents said they received criticism inside their company, were passed over for promotion, and asked to cut back on hours worked as a result of taking care of family responsibilities, confirmed the study; carried out by experience management platform Qualtrics and theBoardlist, which connects companies with diverse leaders for board and executive opportunities.

Higher-level employees including managers, directors and vice presidents who focused on family responsibilities were 40% more likely than individual contributors to feel discriminated against.

COVID IMPACT ON WORKING PARENTS

“This study offered clear insights into the impact Covid had on working parents and women. However, these findings are not surprising. What became very clear in 2020 is that women still bear the brunt of domestic and childcare duties,” said Megan Wang, COO of theBoardlist. “Women have historically been overlooked for promotions, raises and benefits because of the perception that they are not as committed to their workplace. These two factors continue to have repercussions on a woman’s access to leadership opportunities.”

Companies, however, are looking to add more women leaders as flexibility demands rise, noted the study. Approximately 52% of staff said having women in leadership improves flexibility and work from home options. Around 53% said their company is proactive about increasing the number of women in leadership roles at their company. Additionally, 61% believe that women are strongly represented in leadership positions. 

“The good news is that more people are recognising the need for flexibility in the workplace; and it is encouraging to see 58% of employees believe that their company would benefit from having more women in leadership roles,” added Wang. “It would be great to see that number higher. However, I bet if we had surveyed this a decade ago, it would have been significantly lower. Progress is being made, even if slowly.”

DECLINING MENTAL HEALTH

The study also found that a quarter of employees say their mental health has declined in the past year. Gen Z and women were most likely to face declining mental health during the pandemic. More than a quarter of employees (27%) said their mental health declined during the pandemic. Women (33%), Gen Z (18%) and people who are separated/divorced (34%) were most likely to say their mental health declined. 

However, most say working from home would improve their mental health moving forward. That said, even with more flexible options available, 42% of employees say they still feel pressure to work in-person; even if their employer is offering a hybrid or remote option. Interestingly, 45% of staff think those who work from an office have a career advantage for promotions/raises compared to remote employees. They cited visibility to leadership as the top advantage. 

PROVIDING BETTER EMPLOYEE EXPERIENCES

The past 18 months brought on challenges the workforce has never seen, with women stepping away from successful careers at high rates; and many burnt-out employees walking away from their jobs. Leaders who take time to focus on creating a better experience for employees will have an increased advantage in attracting and re-attracting top talent in a competitive labour market, the study noted. 

The past year has been “tough on many levels”, added Julia Anas, Chief People Officer of Qualtrics. “Our research shows that as a result, employees have changing expectations including in their jobs and priorities. Whatever challenges companies may face as they begin to forge ahead with new work experiences, regularly connecting with employees; being open to input, understanding their needs; and acting on that feedback will be the key differentiator to creating a better environment for employees to thrive and succeed.”  

A recent survey has revealed that two-thirds of working mums do not have sufficient childcare for the summer holidays. Click here to read more.