COVID-related stress causing women to leave workplace
Regardless of whether women consider leaving the workforce altogether or downshifting their careers, it could adversely impact their employers.
As we head into what is sure to be some of the most challenging months of COVID-19, a growing number of workers are leaving their jobs. And they’re doing it voluntarily to manage the increasing needs of home life.
Think about it: in addition to performing at work, people are also trying to stay healthy, keep their families well, tend to young children, keep up with virtual learning, care for aging parents, and pay their bills. Even people who typically manage stressors well are suddenly stressed to the max.
Especially women.
Related: Pandemic-led ‘shecession’ hit women harder than men
According to research conducted by the Center for American Progress, in early 2020, women held more than half of all U.S. jobs. More than 865,000 women left the workplace in September alone – departing at four times the men’s rate.
Employers must re-evaluate how they operate to keep women in the workplace
It’s estimated that women leaving their jobs at this rate may lead to wage losses of $64.5 billion a year. That’s a significant blow to our economy in reduced tax income, depressed demand, continued business closures, and slowed economic recovery.
Regardless of whether women consider leaving the workforce altogether or downshifting their careers, it could adversely impact their employers. It would mean less women in roles requiring a diverse perspective and inclusive approach. And more likely than not customers will indirectly notice this imbalance.
Employers need to ensure women are thriving in this new “normal” by providing the support and tools necessary to retain talent and in particular must re-evaluate how they operate to keep women in the workforce.
Employee Assistance Programs can help
How can employers help people navigate what could be one of the most challenging periods in their personal and professional lives? The answer may lie in the sometimes underutilized and misunderstood benefit of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs). These are designed to provide solutions to employees’ day-to-day challenges at work and at home. And by emphasizing the full range of services and resources available via an EAP, employers can go a long way towards normalizing their usage and dispelling the notion that it puts employees at some type of risk.
According to Julie Kashen of the Century Foundation, more than a third of parents say they are not aware of plans their employers have in place for parents or whether these plans exist at all in their company. Further, nearly half (49%) of working mothers and 39% of working fathers say they are not aware of any employer-funded childcare benefits.
Fortune magazine offers another explanation: “Four in 10 parents fear it would be a risk to their employment to take advantage of the offerings or benefits available to them through their workplace (42%), and over a third (39%) worry that their employment will be terminated if they ask for them.”
The takeaway? Employers should communicate regularly about their EAP programs, including examples of what’s available, how to use the services, and how different offerings help people navigate the challenges they’re facing now.
How EAPs address some of the underlying workplace issues women face
Once COVID-19 was officially declared a pandemic, most EAP providers initially saw around a 20% decline in new cases as employees focused more on caring for their families than on themselves.
Shortly after, however, utilization skyrocketed – especially of in-the-moment support to deal with issues like loneliness, social isolation, and coping with family conflicts brought on by these challenging times.
EAP programs can go further, though. They’re also able to address some of the underlying workplace issues that women, in particular, are facing.
- EAPs help employees address a range of issues that extend beyond physical health to encompass issues impacting mental and emotional well-being, such as alcohol and other substance abuse, stress, grief, and family issues.
- Through their EAP, employees have access to counselors who can work directly with their managers and supervisors to address employee and organizational challenges and needs.
- EAPs also serve as a valuable content resource for both employees and employers, providing helpful materials on alcoholism, workplace and domestic violence, and guidelines for handling traumatic events.
Many EAP programs can address employee concerns through Dependent Care Services – consultations and referrals for childcare, elder care, back-up care and education. When you consider that these are some of the top stressors facing families today, there’s the potential for these services to not only reduce stress but ultimately help parents stay in their jobs (and avoid costly wage and productivity losses).
Employees able to access EAP services remotely
To meet the growing need during the pandemic, many EAPs are starting to offer a broader range of support services, such as video counseling, text therapy, and digital behavioral health tools. In fact, since mid-March, over 90 percent of EAP cases have been managed via these modalities because they’re popular with employees.
If you’re not utilizing these options, it might be time to consider them. And then educate employees about what’s available.
An opportunity to retain talent
Employers have the opportunity to play a central role in helping their employees during this pandemic. From helping people through mental health struggles like stress, anxiety, and depression, to assisting women with one of the most common reasons they’re leaving the workplace.
Best of all? EAP services work. David Pawlowski from EAP provider CuraLinc says that, across their book of business, 75% of employees reported improved productivity after using their program. That’s a strong ROI for employers.
Geetu Deodhar is director, product execution with Trustmark Health Benefits.
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