The Hidden Career Challenge: How Caregiving Creates Workplace Inequities
Picture this: It's 7 AM, and I'm negotiating with my 10-year-old about toast preparation while mentally reviewing my work presentation. My tea sits cold on the counter as I prioritize everyone else's needs before my own. Sound familiar?
This is the reality of caregiving – a responsibility that touches most of our lives yet remains largely invisible in professional settings. While caregiving brings joy and fulfillment, it also creates significant workplace challenges, particularly for women who spend nearly twice as much time on caregiving and housework as their male counterparts while maintaining similar career commitments. Although attitudes are shifting—with 75% of men and 57% of women reporting shared household responsibilities—the McKinsey Women in the Workplace 2024 report [2] reveals that among partnered caregivers, 40% of women remain primarily responsible for caregiving and housework, compared to just 11% of men.
NAWA Takes Action
Recognizing caregiving’s impact on career advancement, NAWA hosted our second "Let's Talk About" event on May 1st, bringing together around 50 participants to examine how caregiving responsibilities create workplace inequities. The discussions revealed three critical areas demanding attention:
The Root Causes
Societal Norms and Gender Roles
The Problem: The "mental load" of household management disproportionately falls on women due to entrenched societal expectations.
Unconscious Bias
The Problem: Pervasive assumptions that caregivers (especially mothers) are less committed or competent, leading to missed opportunities and higher performance standards. [3]
Outdated Workplace Ideals
The Problem: The "ideal worker" myth – someone perpetually available and free from personal obligations – penalizes anyone requiring flexibility. [3]
The Real Impact
Our participants identified two major workplace challenges:
1. The Energy Drain Caregiving demands significant mental, emotional, and physical energy. When juggling work and caregiving, self-care becomes an afterthought, potentially leading to decreased focus and burnout. As one participant noted: "Nobody is really doing it all – you have to consciously decide which balls to drop."
2. Workplace Perceptions Even high-performing caregivers face bias. Managers may assume caregivers lack capacity for challenging roles, exclude them from after-work events, or overlook them for promotions. [3] This perception problem becomes a retention crisis for companies seeking to keep talented employees.
The Bias Reality Check
Research from LeanIn.org reveals that maternal bias is the strongest form of gender bias. “When ‘PTA coordinator’ appears on a woman's resume, she's 79% less likely to be hired, half as likely to be promoted, and offered $11,000 less in salary on average. Women face a double bind – penalized professionally for prioritizing family, yet also challenged when they don't.”
For more on maternal bias and other common biases women face in the workplace, visit: https://leanin.org/education/50-ways-to-fight-bias-overview
Creating Change: Our Action Plan
1. Redefine Success Move beyond hours worked or billable to recognize contributions aligned with company values. Success shouldn't require sacrificing caregiving responsibilities.
2. Implement Comprehensive Mandatory Bias Training Regular training helps employees recognize unconscious biases. Pair this with open career conversations about capabilities and ambitions rather than assumptions.
3. Lead by Example Normalize flexibility and parental leave across all genders. Position caregiver-leaders as role models. Have those leaders openly share their responsibilities and foster community discussions. Stop financially penalizing employees for taking necessary time off.
4. Build Support Networks Connect caregivers with mentors and peers who understand their unique challenges. Consider joining or creating Caregiving Business Resource Groups.
5. Provide Robust Benefits Offer or advocate for comprehensive parental leave, backup care options, flexible schedules, and return-to-office policies that support caregiving realities.
Moving Forward Together
Caregiving shapes both our personal and professional lives, but it doesn't have to limit our career potential. Meaningful change requires commitment from individuals and organizations alike. By fostering open conversations, challenging biases, advocating for flexible policies, and building supportive networks, we can create workplaces where caregivers thrive.
The goal isn't to choose between being a good worker and a good caregiver – it's to create environments where we can excel at both. Let's continue pushing for progress so everyone, regardless of their caregiving responsibilities, has the opportunity to advance and find fulfillment in all aspects of their lives.
This article summarizes insights from NAWA's "Let's Talk About" event on caregiving and workplace advancement. Join us in continuing these important conversations.
[2] https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/diversity-and-inclusion/women-in-the-workplace#/
[3] https://leanin.org/education/50-ways-to-fight-bias-overview#!