COVID impact

Women’s careers are being disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 because of existing gender inequalities in society. The pandemic has exacerbated the unequal burden of unpaid care and domestic work shouldered by women. This could force more women out of the workforce, reversing progress towards gender balance, and stunting economic growth.

Even before the pandemic, women on average spent 6 more hours than men on unpaid child care every week. During the pandemic women have taken on a greater share of the increased burden. Women now spend 8 more hours per week on childcare than men. The ‘second shift’ adding up to 32 hours per week, equates to almost an extra full-time job. 

The impact of this higher care burden has already reduced women’s contribution to the economy. Working mothers in the UK experienced a 22% fall in paid work hours per day compared to a 16% fall for fathers between February and May 2020. 

The longer this higher burden on women lasts, the more women are likely to leave the workforce permanently. The PWC Women in Work Index 2021 shows that the OECD needs progress to be twice as fast as its historical rate if it is to completely recover by 2030.

Organisations must address the underlying gender inequalities exacerbated by the pandemic, and take positive action to support female progression and leadership in the workplace.