COVID-19 may be the worst experience of your lifetime! That is not lost on me, my business has been turned upside down and we are shattered to be unable to interact with our family as we normally would. I am grateful that my husband and I have each other in our home, we haven\u2019t driven each other crazy \u2014 yet! In my business I have talked with women who live alone who have found it to be painful beyond words. We look at our own adult children trying to work, cope with fears of the disease, economics, and now homeschooling their children, it\u2019s so overwhelming. My clients are struggling, too, with the same issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As you know, my mission in life is to enable women to reach their potential in the workplace and unlearn gender behaviors that put them at a disadvantage in the workplace. Though equity in the workplace is an ongoing challenge, women have been making strides, then COVID hit. Hit like a Tsunami!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Women have always had at least two jobs, the one in the workplace and the one at home.\u00a0 Females have consistently done most of the housework, childcare, and eldercare.\u00a0 Even with a spouse that contributes a great deal, women still have a disproportionate share of work at home. \u00a0NOW with the virus, mothers are spending more hours a week on housework and childcare.\u00a0 Boston Consulting Group found women are spending 15 more hours a week on domestic labor during the pandemic than men.\u00a0 Catalyst, a nonprofit focused on helping companies better serve women, report women are twice as likely than men to be responsible for homeschooling.\u00a0 I know many of my clients, friends and family members are at their breaking point.\u00a0 Heaven help the women who are healthcare workers or are teachers.\u00a0 Perhaps YOU<\/strong> are at your<\/strong> breaking point!\u00a0 As a result, many women who are not sole supporters of their families or themselves, are considering leaving the workplace.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you make the decision to leave, please slow down and consider the long-term ramifications. In her article for CNBC, Courtney Connley reported, \u201c1 in 4 women are considering downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce due to the coronavirus.\u201d An entire generation of women may never fully recover in economics or in career trajectory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Author Stephanie M.H. Moore, PhD., who is a Lecturer of Business Law and Ethics at Indiana University\u2019s Kelley School of Business suggests steps companies can take to prevent their female employees from leaving. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember, there is strength in numbers. If you have employee resource groups within your company, harness the power of those numbers to make these and other recommendations to management. Companies need their best and brightest women to thrive and stay. These recommendations are just the beginning, start brainstorming and get the support you need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n