As the pandemic reaches its 1 year milestone in the U.S., women in the workplace are holding on to feelings of career ambition (albeit declining), despite experiencing many obstacles. From career setbacks to infrequent career growth conversations, most women (and Americans overall) find that the pandemic has made things worse for women in the workplace.
Ambition still high overall, yet women of color experience large drops in ambition.
- Shares of Black and Hispanic women who consider themselves “very ambitious” dropped by over 20 points from last year (75% to 54% among Black women)
- Similarly, Latinas went from 65% "very ambitious" down to 42%.
Flexible work arrangements are still seen as a liability to professional advancement.
Even with much of the workforce still functioning under some version of a flexible work arrangement, womens’ concerns that taking advantage of flexible work arrangements will negatively impact their career growth have only subsided marginally from last year.
- From 45% to 39%, many women are still concerned that flexibility comes at a professional cost.
- Nearly half of women of color are still concerned (54% among Black women, 49% among Latinas) compared to just 33% of white women.
Pandemic-era setbacks and limited career growth options contribute to making the workplace problematic for women.
- Majorities say that the pandemic has made things worse for women in the workplace (59% overall, 66% of women with and without children agree).
- Less than one-third of women today are “very satisfied” with the amount of career growth available to them at their current job.
- Fully 22% of women, both with AND without children, have experienced a setback in their career advancement over the past 12 months.
Half the workforce is feeling burned out all or some of the time.
Over half (53%) of women say their mental health suffers to the point of burnout because of their jobs, all or some of the time. This is true for women with and without kids, white women, and women of color alike. However, the main reasons for burnout differ by race.
- The number one cited reason for Black women is worry about finances (27%).
- Top cited for white women is difficulty balancing work and family obligations (23%).
Read more about our polling methodology here.
Click through all the results in the interactive toplines below:
Which one of the following issues matters MOST to you right now?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 6,821 3,055 3,647 119 Jobs and the economy 35%40%31%19%Health care 22%17%26%33%The environment 9%9%10%12%Education 9%7%10%5%Immigration 7%8%6%3%Terrorism 3%2%3%1%Foreign policy 2%2%1%4%Other (please specify) 12%13%11%23%No answer 2%1%2%2%Question wording: Which one of the following issues matters MOST to you right now?Survey dates: –Which of the following best describes you?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 6,821 3,055 3,647 119 Working full-time 56%64%49%51%Working part-time 12%12%13%19%Not working for pay 29%23%34%27%No answer 3%2%4%4%Question wording: Which of the following best describes you?Survey dates: –Compared to a year ago, are you working more hours per week, fewer hours, or about the same?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 6,821 3,055 3,647 119 Working more hours per week 20%21%19%28%Working fewer hours per week 24%24%24%28%Working about the same compared to a year ago 48%50%47%39%No answer 8%5%11%5%Question wording: Compared to a year ago, are you working more hours per week, fewer hours, or about the same?Survey dates: –Over the past 12 months, would you say you have been able to advance your career, has your career taken a setback, or have things stayed about the same?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 6,821 3,055 3,647 119 My career has advanced 17%20%14%25%My career has experienced a setback 22%21%22%25%Things have stayed about the same 54%54%55%46%No answer 7%4%9%4%Question wording: Over the past 12 months, would you say you have been able to advance your career, has your career taken a setback, or have things stayed about the same?Survey dates: –How ambitious do you consider yourself to be when it comes to your career?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 4,678 2,196 2,396 86 Very ambitious 45%49%42%0%Somewhat ambitious 41%39%44%0%Not so ambitious 10%9%11%0%Not ambitious at all 2%2%2%0%No answer 2%1%2%0%Question wording: How ambitious do you consider yourself to be when it comes to your career?Survey dates: –How satisfied are you with the amount of career growth available to you at your current job?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 4,678 2,196 2,396 86 Very satisfied 34%35%32%0%Somewhat satisfied 41%41%41%0%Not so satisfied 17%16%17%0%Not satisfied at all 8%8%7%0%No answer 1%1%2%0%Question wording: How satisfied are you with the amount of career growth available to you at your current job?Survey dates: –How often do you talk with your manager about your career goals?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 4,678 2,196 2,396 86 About once a week 12%16%8%0%About once a month 16%16%16%0%About once a quarter 20%22%18%0%About once a year 19%16%21%0%Less often than that 29%27%32%0%No answer 4%4%4%0%Question wording: How often do you talk with your manager about your career goals?Survey dates: –How concerned are you that taking advantage of flexible work arrangements at your job (e.g. paid leave, work-from-home, flextime) might prevent you from achieving your career goals?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 4,678 2,196 2,396 86 Very concerned 16%16%16%0%Somewhat concerned 24%24%23%0%Not so concerned 28%27%28%0%Not concerned at all 30%31%28%0%No answer 3%2%4%0%Question wording: How concerned are you that taking advantage of flexible work arrangements at your job (e.g. paid leave, work-from-home, flextime) might prevent you from achieving your career goals?Survey dates: –What is the best way your organization can help you achieve your career goals?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 4,678 2,196 2,396 86 Increase my salary 36%36%35%0%Provide opportunities for more on-the-job training 17%20%14%0%Offer a more flexible schedule 9%7%11%0%Pay for me to go back to college/graduate school 6%5%8%0%Assign someone in a more senior position to serve as a mentor 6%6%5%0%Pay off my student loans 5%3%6%0%Assign an executive to serve as my sponsor 2%2%1%0%Other (please specify) 13%15%12%0%No answer 6%5%7%0%Question wording: What is the best way your organization can help you achieve your career goals?Survey dates: –In the past 12 months, have you seriously considered quitting your job?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 4,678 2,196 2,396 86 Yes 33%31%34%0%No 65%68%64%0%No answer 2%1%3%0%Question wording: In the past 12 months, have you seriously considered quitting your job?Survey dates: –Why did you consider quitting your job (Select all that apply)?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 1,543 676 826 41 Didn’t want to deal with the stress anymore 41%40%41%0%To find a new job that advances my career 39%43%33%0%To find a new job with better work/life balance 38%41%35%0%Concern that I’ll get myself or family sick with Covid-19 18%15%22%0%To take care of my child(ren) full-time 7%4%9%0%To take care of an aging parent or other relative full-time 6%5%7%0%Didn’t need the income anymore 2%3%2%0%Other (please specify) 20%17%23%0%No answer 1%1%1%0%Question wording: Why did you consider quitting your job (Select all that apply)?Survey dates: –In the past 12 months, have you taken on a “side job” for any of the following reasons? (Select all that apply)
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 4,678 2,196 2,396 86 To supplement my income 17%16%17%0%To make up for lost income 9%10%8%0%To fight boredom due to pandemic restrictions 4%5%4%0%To help support others 6%7%6%0%I have not taken on a “side job” 63%63%64%0%Other (please specify) 4%4%4%0%No answer 5%3%6%0%Question wording: In the past 12 months, have you taken on a “side job” for any of the following reasons? (Select all that apply)Survey dates: –Are you currently…
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 4,678 2,196 2,396 86 Working from home 22%19%25%0%Working outside the home 53%55%52%0%Both 21%22%20%0%No answer 3%3%4%0%Question wording: Are you currently…Survey dates: –Thinking ahead to when things are safe again, how often do you think you will want to work from home?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 4,678 2,196 2,396 86 All the time 19%15%22%0%More often than I used to 20%19%21%0%About as often as I used to 15%15%14%0%Less often than I used to 11%12%10%0%Never 33%36%30%0%No answer 3%2%3%0%Question wording: Thinking ahead to when things are safe again, how often do you think you will want to work from home?Survey dates: –How often does your mental health suffer to the point of feeling burned out because of your job?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 4,678 2,196 2,396 86 All the time 13%11%15%0%Some of the time 36%33%38%0%Rarely 29%31%27%0%Never 19%22%16%0%No answer 3%3%3%0%Question wording: How often does your mental health suffer to the point of feeling burned out because of your job?Survey dates: –And what is the main reason you experience burnout?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 3,707 1,659 1,970 78 Worries about finances 21%21%21%0%Working too much 21%23%19%0%Difficulty balancing work and family obligations 21%19%22%0%Worries about my physical health 11%11%11%0%Job insecurity 8%9%7%0%Other (please specify) 16%15%18%0%No answer 3%3%3%0%Question wording: And what is the main reason you experience burnout?Survey dates: –Are you currently looking for work?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 1,961 786 1,150 25 Yes 23%23%23%0%No 75%74%75%0%No answer 3%3%2%0%Question wording: Are you currently looking for work?Survey dates: –When was the last time you worked for pay?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 1,961 786 1,150 25 Within the last year 26%26%25%0%More than a year ago 70%71%70%0%No answer 4%2%5%0%Question wording: When was the last time you worked for pay?Survey dates: –What is the main reason you stopped working for pay?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 1,961 786 1,150 25 Retired 49%58%45%0%Laid off or fired 9%11%8%0%To take care of my child(ren) full time 8%1%12%0%Didn’t feel safe working outside the home because of the pandemic 7%5%7%0%To go to college/university full time 5%5%4%0%To take care of an aging parent or other relative full-time 3%2%4%0%I have never worked for pay 2%1%2%0%Other (please specify) 17%16%17%0%No answer 1%1%1%0%Question wording: What is the main reason you stopped working for pay?Survey dates: –In general, how do you think the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted women in the workplace?
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 6,821 3,055 3,647 119 Made things better 6%7%5%19%Made things worse 59%52%65%50%No impact 29%36%23%27%No answer 6%5%6%4%Question wording: In general, how do you think the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted women in the workplace?Survey dates: –Do you have children of any of the following ages? (Select all that apply)
Gender Answer Total Male Female Not listed/non-conforming Unweighted N 6,821 3,055 3,647 119 18 years or older 43%43%45%21%Under 18 years old 28%27%29%28%None of the above 33%35%32%51%No answer 2%2%2%4%Question wording: Do you have children of any of the following ages? (Select all that apply)Survey dates: –
