Jocelyne is an Austin-based writer with five years of experience in content creation and marketing. She is passionate about the power of words and its impact on equitable access to information.
It’s no secret that the pandemic strongly impacted the American workforce—or that the greater part of the impact was absorbed by women. A huge number of women who worked full-time prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic say they had to make changes to their employment after the pandemic hit.
In recognition of Women's History Month, Indeed surveyed 1,001 women who transitioned from full-time employment to gig work, contract work, part-time work or exited the workforce after the onset of the pandemic to understand how working women have been affected by the continual effects of COVID-19¹. The survey found that women are increasingly opting for opportunities that guarantee flexibility over stability when faced with pandemic-related obstacles. The demand for more flexible work is not exclusive to women in the workforce. Still, the survey findings suggest that while job seekers of all genders are demanding more flexibility, for many women, especially those in caregiving roles, flexibility is not only a commodity but a necessity.
By looking at women’s current needs in the workforce, we hope to shed some light on the steps women are taking to accommodate their needs and how employers can better support them.
Key takeaways from Indeed’s survey of women
Women who transitioned out of full-time work value flexibility over stability in a working environment.
83% of working women said they crave flexibility over stability in a working environment, and 92% said they are likely (51%) or very likely (41%) to prioritize flexibility over stability. Luckily for those seeking flexible employment, we are currently in a job seeker’s market. In a recent Indeed article, Nolan Farris stated that he has “never seen such a tight U.S. labor market or one where employees hold all the cards.” Recent statistics from Indeed Hiring Lab report that U.S. job postings on Indeed.com on February 18 were 60.4% above February 1, 2020, the pre-pandemic baseline.
With many work opportunities available, job seekers inherently hold a form of stability—they can afford to be selective and advocate for structural changes or find another job that better fits their needs. Our recent survey suggests that a flexible work environment is at the top of the list of requirements for many women.
Read more: Navigating the U.S. Labor Market in 2022
The obstacles that prevented women from working full-time since the onset of COVID-19:
- They were experiencing mental health strain: 54% of women stated that feelings such as anxiety, burnout and fatigue associated with their full-time job were too overwhelming to justify continuing to work under the same conditions.
- They were employed in a heavily impacted industry: 39% of the women we polled stated that working in the same industry was no longer feasible. Many of the sectors affected most include jobs in which employees rely on tips to make a living—for example, hospitality or service industries.
- They were facing physical health issues: One-third (33%) of women cited that they could not return to a full-time job due to illness or disability.
- They were facing child care issues: 30% of women pointed to child care as a major obstacle to returning to work full-time. Many schools across the U.S. are still offering virtual or hybrid schooling to curve COVID-19, and as a result, many working parents struggle with increased child care responsibilities.
- They could not practice COVID-19 safety guidelines at their job: 28% of women worried that they could not take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones from COVID-19. Fear of transmitting COVID-19 is particularly true for women in caregiving roles, especially for those who are sole caregivers.
- Their employer mandated a reduction in salary and/or hours: For 23% of women, company-wide pay and/or hour reduction led to the need to search for an alternative way to earn money.
- They took on caregiving duties for adult family members: Almost one-quarter of women polled (21%) began caring for an adult family member due to COVID-19.
Most obstacles to full-time work for women pertained to mental health strains (54%) or increased caregiving for children or adult family members (51%). While neither of these issues is unique to women, there is evidence that women are shouldering a disproportionate amount of responsibilities regarding emotional work and caregiving that could contribute to mental health strains. Our survey findings suggest that while women may be forgoing job stability in their transition from full-time positions, they are gaining mental health stability. 48% of women who switched to contract work reported improved mental health, and of the women who changed to gig work, one-third (38%) reported improved mental health.
On average, the women who responded that increased child care and/or caregiving was a significant obstacle to full-time work disclosed that they took on six additional hours of caregiving per day since the start of the pandemic. 24% of women said that their child care workload had not returned to the pre-pandemic baseline. Of the same group of women, those who indicated they were married and/or in a domestic partnership, 89% stated that their partner did not have to make any changes to their work circumstances that were not organization-wide.
Read more: Women and the Burden of Emotional Labor During COVID-19
What women found when they transitioned out of full-time work
Of the 1,001 women we polled who transitioned out of a full-time job at the beginning of the pandemic, only 10% temporarily exited the workforce. The other 90% did one or more of the following:
- They reduced their hours to part-time: Two-thirds (66%) of women who transitioned out of a full-time job reduced their hours. Of the women who reduced their hours, 55% began working for a new company.
- They switched to gig work: More than half (58%) began doing gig work, and of that percentage, nearly all (97%) stated that flexibility is the primary appeal of gig work. Additionally, 88% of women who transitioned to gig work said that it allowed them to care for their loved ones without being judged or penalized. 79% of women doing gig work said they took on gig work with more than one company to more easily build a schedule that worked for them, get more hours and make work more varied and interesting.
- They took on contract work: 19% of women began doing contract work as a way to transition out of full-time work at the beginning of the pandemic. Like women who switched to gig work, nearly all (95%) stated that flexibility is the primary appeal of contract work. Additionally, 86% of women who transitioned to contact work said doing so allowed them to care for their loved ones without being judged or penalized. The same percentage (86%) agreed that the flexibility offered by contract work is more important than whether it provides benefits. Furthermore, 71% of women identified contract work as an opportunity to enter into a new career path and/or industry.
Across the board, women cited that the greatest benefits of transitioning out of full-time work included more time to focus on other priorities, decreased stress and responsibilities, the ability to take on other work opportunities, greater autonomy, improved mental health and lessened feelings of burnout. The top changes women identified they would need to consider returning to a full-time schedule are as follows: 68% cited a better work-life balance, 62% asked for more flexibility on working remotely and 61% said they would need better pay.
Despite all of the benefits of gig work, the women surveyed did report some drawbacks. 64% said they had feared for their personal safety at some point while doing gig work. Additionally, of the 49% of women surveyed who began doing gig work that did not offer health care benefits, 25% of women said that they went without health care. Even still, 78% of women who began doing gig work at the start of the pandemic said they would ideally like to continue doing gig work long-term.
Read more: How to Get a Flexible Work Schedule
How to get a flexible schedule
Gig work: One of the biggest draws to gig work is the amount of flexibility it grants employees. Additionally, gig work is available to job seekers of all skill levels, and many platforms offer immediate work and quick payments. Examples of gig work include food delivery, grocery delivery, rideshare services, babysitting services, furniture assembly and digital marketplace services.
Choose-your-own-hours jobs: Another way to ensure a flexible schedule is to create your schedule. Though these kinds of jobs are increasing, they often have more barriers to entry than gig work since they require more training or specialization. During the pandemic, many people made the switch to gig work because they needed an alternative way to make money quickly. Choose-your-own-hours jobs can offer additional options to those who cannot find gig work that suits them but still want a flexible schedule.
Read more: 25 Jobs Where You Can Choose Your Own Hours
Suggest a flexible schedule pilot program at your full-time job: Although there is no guarantee that your employer will make any changes, now is the perfect time to request structural changes. Start by figuring out what changes you would most like to see and submit a proposal to your employer identifying how adopting a flexible schedule would benefit them. If your employer agrees to a pilot program, make sure to set goals so they can determine whether or not a flexible work schedule is a good fit at the end of the pilot.
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¹ Indeed-commissioned survey, conducted by Kickstand Communications, where n=1,001 people who identify as women in the United States and have transitioned to gig work, contract work, and/or exited the workforce after working full-time immediately prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. Those surveyed also currently hold paid employment.
