The report draws insights from 5,000 women across ten countries (Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, India, Japan, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States) to understand their workplace experiences and how aspects of their personal lives influence these experiences. Below is a summary of the findings.
Increased stress and mental health stigma
This year’s survey reveals that half of the women reported higher stress levels than a year ago, with a similar number expressing concern or significant concern about their mental health. Two-thirds do not feel comfortable discussing mental health at work or disclosing it as the reason for taking time off. While workplace culture may contribute to this reluctance, it is not the sole reason; many women fear discrimination or redundancy, and one in ten have had negative experiences when discussing mental health at work in the past.
The findings also show a correlation between working hours and mental health. While half of the women who work only their contracted hours describe their mental health as good, this figure drops to 23% for those who frequently work additional hours.
Working through pain
More than a quarter (27%) of women reported challenges related to menstruation, menopause, or fertility. Over 40% of women who experience severe menstrual pain said they work through it without taking time off, a similar figure to 2023. Additionally, 39% of those experiencing pain or discomfort due to menopause work through it, nearly double the percentage from 2023.
Fewer women feel comfortable discussing these health challenges with their managers compared to last year, and more report that their careers have been negatively impacted by raising these issues at work. Women with fertility-related health challenges report similar trends – three in ten stated they have not taken time off despite experiencing severe pain or symptoms, and nearly two in ten have taken time off but did not disclose the true reason. A similar proportion indicated that discussing these issues in the past had adversely affected their careers.
Unequal caregiving responsibilities
This year, half of the women who live with a partner and have children at home reported bearing the majority of childcare responsibilities, up from 46% last year. This compares to 12% who said their partner takes the lead and 26% who said they share childcare responsibilities equally with their partner.
Nearly 60% of women involved in caring for another adult said they take the greatest responsibility for this, a significant increase from the 44% who reported this in 2023. Only 5% said this responsibility falls to their partner, a decrease from last year.
One-fifth of women in this year’s survey identified as the primary earner in their household. Of these, nearly half still bear most of the childcare responsibilities; only 19% said their partners carry the most responsibility. Affordable childcare options remain out of reach for some women, leading them to make difficult career decisions. Two in ten women believe that the lack of affordable childcare may force them to quit their jobs or slow down their careers.
The survey also highlights the impact of domestic responsibilities on mental health: women who bear the greatest share of household responsibilities are far less likely to report good mental health than those who do not.
Flexibility and work-life balance are crucial for retention
Women who are currently looking to leave their employer for another organisation cite poor work-life balance and a lack of flexibility regarding working hours among the top reasons. Women who have left their employer in the past year cited inadequate pay, work-life balance, and a lack of flexibility among the main reasons. Conversely, those who plan to stay with their organisation for five or more years cited the ability to manage work-life balance and personal responsibilities alongside their careers as one of the top reasons for staying.
Despite this, fewer women than last year feel supported by their employers in balancing work responsibilities with commitments outside of work. Only one in ten feel they can openly discuss work-life balance at work. Nearly all women (95%) believe that requesting or taking advantage of flexible working opportunities will negatively impact their chances of promotion, and 93% do not believe their workload would be adjusted accordingly if they requested flexible work options.
Hybrid work experiences and return-to-office policies
This year, there has been an improvement in women’s experiences of hybrid working, particularly regarding exclusion, predictability, and flexibility. However, about three in ten women working in a hybrid way still experience exclusion from meetings, a lack of predictability in their working pattern, and a lack of flexibility. Additionally, 27% of these women reported being expected to go into the workplace despite messages to the contrary. The same proportion said that the hybrid model has reduced their exposure to senior leaders.
More than 40% of women in the survey said their employer has recently implemented a return-to-office policy, requiring them to be on-site either full-time or on certain days. Nearly four in ten women who were recently asked to return on-site full-time said they have requested a reduction in working hours following the policy’s introduction, and three in ten said they have needed to relocate. A quarter said their mental health has been negatively impacted, and a fifth said it has made them less productive.
Safety concerns and non-inclusive behaviours
Nearly half of all respondents are concerned about their personal safety in the workplace or while commuting or travelling for work. Of these women, one in ten reported being harassed while travelling for work, and a similar number said they had been sexually harassed by a colleague. Additionally, 16% deal with customers or clients who have harassed them or made them feel uncomfortable.
The number of women who reported experiencing non-inclusive behaviours such as harassment or microaggressions at work has decreased since last year, but 43% of women still reported experiencing one or more of these behaviours in the past year. A quarter of women experienced inappropriate comments or actions from senior figures in their organisation. Among those who left an employer in the past year, 16% said that one of the main reasons was their experience of harassment or microaggressions.
However, these behaviours often go unreported. More than a third of the women who experienced sexual harassment did not report it to their organisation, and over 40% who experienced microaggressions also chose not to report them. The most frequently cited reason for this was the belief that the behaviour was not serious enough to report. However, 14% of women were concerned that the behaviour would worsen if they reported it, and about one in ten worried that reporting it would damage their career.
Gender equality leaders remain uncommon
As in previous years, the survey identified a small number of organisations referred to as Gender Equality Leaders. Only 6% of the women in the survey work for one of these organisations.
These women feel safer, are more comfortable discussing their mental health at work, and are more confident that they can work flexibly without harming their careers. They also report higher levels of loyalty towards their employer, as well as greater productivity and motivation at work.
Women working for Gender Equality Leaders are more optimistic about their career prospects and are less likely to experience inappropriate behaviours or comments from senior leaders. They are also less likely to have experienced non-inclusive behaviours, experience lower stress levels, and are less likely to have taken time off due to mental health challenges.
Women working for these organisations are also significantly more likely to plan to stay with their employer for longer and view it as a place where they want to advance their careers. More than 60% of women working for Gender Equality Leaders plan to stay with their employer for more than three years, compared to 41% of the rest of the sample. Furthermore, 92% of women working for Gender Equality Leaders aspire to progress to a senior leadership position within their organisation.
Recommendations from Deloitte
To address these issues, Deloitte offers several recomm-endations:
• Address workplace stress: Organisations must go beyond recognising the importance of mental health by understanding the drivers of workplace stress and taking action to mitigate them. This includes addressing workplace stigma and fostering a culture where women can openly discuss mental health without fear of penalty.
• Reflect the importance of women’s health in policies: Organisations should normalise conversations about women’s health, addressing the stigma that remains, and ensure women can access the workplace support they need. This may involve providing training for leaders and revising policies to support women encountering health challenges.
• Ensure safety in the workplace: Employers should address women’s concerns about safety by reinforcing policies that protect their rights, even when customers and clients are involved, and providing clear reporting and support routes.
• Embed family-friendly policies and benefits: Employers should implement family-friendly policies and benefits, such as parental leave and emergency care options, to help women succeed at work alongside their commitments outside work. This also includes offering flexible working options that leaders actively encourage employees to use without fear of stigma.
• Evaluate return-to-office policies: Employers should assess the impact of return-to-office policies on women, considering effects on mental health, earning power, and productivity, and finding a balance that meets business needs without adversely affecting women’s ability to succeed.
• Address non-inclusive behaviours: Employers must focus on creating an inclusive culture where women feel empowered to report non-inclusive behaviours without fear of adverse impact.
• Be a Gender Equality Leader: Organisations that focus on culture, work/life balance, and meaningful career development for women will see positive outcomes in attraction, retention, and overall employee satisfaction.
The Deloitte report highlights the pressing need for employers to create supportive, inclusive workplaces that understand and address the unique challenges women face. Implementing the recommended actions could significantly improve women’s experiences at work, leading to greater retention, productivity, and career satisfaction.
www.deloitte.com/womenatwork
