Nearly half (49 per cent) of U.S. female employees have stymied their career ambitions because of caregiving responsibilities, compared to just 32 per cent of men, according to a new survey by leave management platform Sparrow.
The survey, which polled more than 300 U.S. employees, found 27 per cent of women said they conceal caregiving responsibilities from senior leadership, versus 10 per cent of men, and 25 per cent reported they hide it from human resources, compared to 15 per cent of men.
Read: 6.1 million Canadian workers juggling jobs and caregiving: report
Additionally, more than half (55 per cent) of women said remote or hybrid work would make the biggest difference in balancing their caregiving responsibilities, versus 36 per cent of men.
“It’s important to recognize that caregiving remains one of the most consequential and least acknowledged forces shaping women’s careers,” said Deborah Hanus, chief executive officer of Sparrow, in a press release. “Many women still feel pressure to downplay or conceal these responsibilities at work, which narrows their access to visibility, advancement and leadership opportunities over time. The result is a quiet, persistent career penalty that compounds year after year.”
She added addressing this challenge requires workplaces that assume caregiving is a normal part of employees’ lives and build flexibility into performance expectations, career paths and leadership development.
Read: Survey finds caregiving pressures affecting Canadian employees’ mental health, retirement plans