Worcester Business Journal

February 8, 2021

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wbjournal.com | February 8, 2021 | Worcester Business Journal 15 We've lost slightly more women F L AS H P O L L Do you have fewer women employees at your organization than you did at the start of the pandemic? It's no secret that the coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll on the workforce. This is especially true for women, many of whom have either lost their jobs because they worked in some of the hardest-hit industries, or because a series of extenuating circumstances required them to stay home and take care of children or other family members. When polled online, WBJ readers showed the gender split between lost employees was nearly even, although leaned toward women. Our employee departures/ turnover is evenly split between men and women. 26% We haven't had any employee departures in the last year. 43% We've had more women than men leave. 17% COMMENTS 202 Brigham St., Northborough, MA • 508-393-2444 For Tee Times: www.juniperhillgc.com Juniper Hill Golf Course Celebrating Over 85 Years of Golf • Friendly Atmosphere • Two well groomed, established courses • No membership fee • Excellent meeting facilities • 36 Challenging Holes • Top 10 Public Golf Course in Massachusetts • Golf Teaching Center Call us at 508-351-9500 Give the gift of golf Gift certificates for golf, lunch, lessons and equipment are available in the Pro Shop 508-393-2444 Outings & Functions 3 to 300 guests in a variety of settings F O C U S children consider leaving the workforce, it's almost twice as likely to be the woman who gives up her job, according to McKinsey. A study from the firm last fall found 23% of women with children under 10 considering leaving the workplace, compared to 13% of men in the same situation. Even those without children are reporting greater strain these days, said Jean Beaupre, an associate professor of communication and marketing at Nichols College in Dudley who closely researches the issue of gender in the workplace. Routines have shifted, working hours have stretched on, and a need to always be available has only worsened, she said. "The result is the potential for burnout as well as impact on their future careers," Beaupre said. It doesn't appear as if women have been regaining jobs at the same disproportionate rate they were losing them at the start of the pandemic, either. A report issued in October by the Women's National Law Center found women to make up four out of five of those who stopped looking for work in the prior month, just as some schools were returning for the year. Not only might women struggle to re-enter the workforce, but their pay is likely to suffer, too. A 2018 report by the Institute for Women's Policy Research found women who missed even just one year of working had annual earnings 39% lower than those who never le the workforce. ose gaps are common. Even before the pandemic, 43% of female workers had such a stoppage in their career, double the rate of men, the report found. Helping women get back to work Researchers and advocates worry the damage from the recession could be long-term, and a range of potential fixes have already been floated. "There could very well be a pandemic-fueled gap in the leadership pipeline, the result of which may not be seen in the upper ranks for a number of years," Beaupre said. Complicating women's return to the workplace post-pandemic will be an expected lingering use of remote work, Beaupre said. That could make it harder to understand how women navigate and develop their careers when there will be less in-person face time with management. Evelyn Murphy, a co-chair of the Boston Women's Workforce Council, put the pressure on businesses who will have an opportunity once employment increases again to remake their hiring practices to better account for women who balance family needs at home. Employers need to be more attuned We've had more men than women leave. 14% "We've been able to retain women because we've accommodated their need to help their kids with remote school." Continued on Page 16

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