Much has and will be written about the pandemic's impact on working women, especially mothers, executive women and women of color.
Three not so fun facts about the pandemic's impact on women in the workplace from McKinsey:
More than one in four women are contemplating downshifting or leaving the workforce altogether.
One in three mothers has considered leaving the workforce or downshifting their careers because of covid. Mothers with children under ten years old are the most likely to consider leaving the workforce entirely.
The pandemic could erase all the progress we've seen (for women in the workplace) over the past six years.
The facts are appalling - and they aren't just statistics. Each of us has a friend, sister, or neighbor who has made a significant pivot in her career life due to covid. These are real stories of real women making real tradeoffs.
How can companies keep women in the workforce? Build a culture of sustainability.
As a fifty-something female executive, I've seen my fair share of work cultures. Those that lift, support, and promote businesswomen and those that grind us down. Here's my tale of two cultures...
It was the best of cultures...
I worked in the television and media industries for over twenty years. Friends were surprised by how long I happily worked for the same company. There were two compelling reasons for an ambitious, educated mother to stick around. First, the work and industry was engaging, dynamic, and fascinating! Second and more importantly, it was sustainable.
During my two decades at the company, I lived through the death of two family members, infertility, marriage, motherhood, and my cancer diagnosis and treatment. At the same time, I was given progressively more responsibility, promotions, and staff to lead. Our company grew, I grew, my family grew.
How can personal ordeals coexist with professional advancement and growth? Culture.
For leaders, retaining talent takes conscious commitment and modeling behavior. I credit the media company leaders for building, cultivating, and preserving a parent-friendly work environment. As far back as 2005, we had the flexibility to work from home, generous leave policies, and the practical and sensible support of peers who would happily pitch in for a colleague in need.
I eventually left the media company for a smaller, fast-paced start-up.
It was the worst of cultures ...
Before I walked in the door, I negotiated hard for myself. We reached an agreement I was excited about: flexibility, vacation, and everything I needed to feel secure and supported. My dream job, dream company, and on my terms. I was on top of the world!
And then I started. The work pace was the professional equivalent of a tough mudder with no finish line. Board meetings, which were my responsibility, were particularly stressful.
As tensions rose, my boundaries crumbled more and more.
Lead a series of meetings instead of traveling with my son for fall break? Sure.
Cancel my evening plans last minute to stay late rewriting a board presentation? Okay.
Answer texts at 3 am about the font size on a PowerPoint slide?
The kind way to say it? "This is not a fit."
Luckily, I had no health issues or family upheavals during that time. After an eight-month sprint, I took a family vacation. As I drove in to work the following Monday, I thought, what if I left? Left my dream job? Working for the "it" start-up. Just left?
So I did. It took me six whole months to reclaim my energy, confidence, and mojo. I started my business under the premise: if I'm going to work that hard, I may as well own the results. I want to build MY firm and hustle for MY dreams.
The culture "buck" stops here, boss.
If you're a leader, you set the tone for every aspect of culture: How colleagues set and respect boundaries, empathy for the human beings you work side by side with every day, patience, and kindness for the crises that inevitably happen to every one of us.
Let's rewind to the media company. The day I returned to work after my cancer treatment, Steve, our CEO, genuinely surprised, asked, "What are you doing here? Go home. It's just television."
Lives are not at stake if I come to work or stay home to heal. Well….maybe one life is at stake. Mine. Thanks, Steve. I'll see you next week.
For a thought-provoking piece that addresses “A way forward for working parents”, check out this HBR article. It addresses how working parents can be more confident, connected and in control during the pandemic and beyond.