Finding solutions to women’s exit from the workforce

Women are being forced to make decisions to leave the workforce, according to the 2020 Women in the Workplace report. The report which I referenced in depth last year provides context to the early impacts of COVID-19 on women in the workforce.

According to the National Women’s Law Center, women have been the majority in pandemic-related job loss, bringing the women’s labor-force participation to a 33-year-low. Since these reports were published, there have been changes in the pandemic, the economy and our political systems — all things which affect our workforce. But women are continuing to stay home, even after economic improvements.

Eden King, PhD, a professor of psychology at Rice University, believes women aren’t “opting out” of the workforce, but are being pushed out (American Psychological Association) by societal messages that women are meant to be mothers and that mothers should put their families first. A study in the Journal of Applied Psychology confirms this and found couples are falling back into traditional gender roles — in almost 37% of the families, women handled most or all of the responsibility for caring for their children.

It is also necessary to acknowledge the privilege that comes with white-collar work. Many careers in industries like construction, manufacturing, nursing, retail and food service require workers to be on-site and offer less flexibility to when and where workers can work.

I encourage all employers and all other citizens to offer support to the women in their lives and the ones they may work alongside. When you individually can’t provide support or council, you can assist by sharing mental health services and resources with those that be struggling to find tools to help. Some services in the Capital region include:

●Tri-County Community Health Guide

●Community Mental Health Authority of Clinton, Eaton and Ingham counties

●Therapists who accept Medicaid in Lansing and across Michigan

But it will take more than mental health support — though it’s essential — to keep women in the workforce, and even more, to bring the women who left back. As business leaders, we need to advocate for and support worker training programs, early childhood educational programs, and unbiased employee selection processes to help workers achieve their full potential. We must also advocate for better wages, flexibility and benefits for all workers, not just traditional white-collar careers.

“Women’s issues” are workforce issues and inherently affect all of us. Help bring women back into the workforce so they can thrive and contribute all the skills that they have to offer. Our continued economic success across all sectors will be better for it.

Carrie Rosingana is the CEO of Capital Area Michigan Works! Visitwww.camw.org to connect with the Capital Area Michigan Works! team for assistance with career exploration or staffing needs. Capital Area Michigan Works!, a proud partner of the American Job Center Network, offers services in Ingham, Clinton and Eaton counties at our Lansing, St. Johns and Charlotte American Job Centers.