Up to 40% of women consider quitting job in past 12 months - survey

More than a third of women (40 per cent) considered quitting their job in the last 12 months, “citing burn out and the pressures of family life”, according to a survey by recruitment site Indeed.

The survey, published on the eve of International Women’s Day, found burn out was the most common reason (33 per cent) cited for considering leaving a job, particularly for women in older age cohorts - where 55 per cent felt they needed a break.

The second highest reason cited (22 per cent) was that it had become too hard to balance work and home responsibilities.

The work/life balance issue was particularly felt by the cohort of women most likely to have young children - aged 35-44 - with 37 per cent of this group finding juggling career and family responsibilities too difficult.

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Pay

The majority of both men (79 per cent) and women (68 per cent) felt that there was equal pay in their workplace, regardless of gender.

However a significant proportion of female respondents (30 per cent) felt men were generally paid more at their company, compared to just 17 per cent of male respondents.

Employers here will soon be obliged to publish information showing the gender pay gap in their business, following the passing of the gender pay gap information act last year.

Separately Lidl announced it has become the first retailer in Ireland to report on the gender pay gap announcing a 6.2 per cent mean gender pay gap for 2021, down from 8.8 per cent in 2020 and lower than the 11.3 per cent average pay gap in the State. The figure also compares favourably with European level where it is 14.1 per cent, and with the UK retail sector which has a mean gender pay gap of just under 12 per cent.

“While Lidl Ireland is pleased with its progress to date, it is taking further steps to eliminate the mean gender pay gap across its 5,000 plus workforce in the Republic of Ireland,” it said.

Earnings

The Indeed survey suggested that women were more optimistic than men about their future earnings, with 82 per cent of women surveyed saying they expect to be earning more in five years’ time, a view shared by 71 per centof men surveyed.

"The findings are a reminder of the specific challenges women still face in the workplace. Particularly striking are the high numbers of women considering leaving the workforce due to lack of support, which emphasises how vital it is for employers to do more to create a working environment that is supportive," Glenda Kirby, vice president of client success at Indeed, said.

“The research highlights how important it is for women to hear their employer advocating for female career development and making sure discrimination is called out and addressed. Having a seat at the table isn’t enough if workers don’t feel like they belong there,” she said.