Study: the inflexible work schedule is the main reason why women changed jobs during the last year or plan to change them now

Women feel they need to prioritize the careers of their partners, who are the family’s primary source of income.

The lack of flexibility in working hours is among the main reasons why women left their employer in the last year and the main cause cited by those who currently want to change jobs, shows the study Deloitte Women @ Work 2023, conducted globally. At the same time, 97% of women believe that requiring flexible working arrangements could affect their chances of promotion and 95% believe that their workload will not be adjusted accordingly. The study shows a positive correlation between the level of flexibility that women experience at work and the amount of time they plan to spend with the same employer. Moreover, 86% of women who benefit from flexibility at work report higher levels of productivity and loyalty to their employer.

Although 88% of the surveyed women work full-time, almost half of them say they have the primary responsibility for domestic tasks such as cleaning or caring for dependents. More than 67% of the women who are in relationships say their partner is the primary source of income for their family. As a result, almost four out of ten women feel they need to prioritize their partner’s career over their own, which is valid even for women who are the family’s primary earner. This situation can create a vicious circle that limits women’s chances of earning more, the study points out.

“The study shows that women’s preferences and expectations about the workplace have evolved in tune with the times. There is now an increasing focus on flexible hours, development opportunities and balance in terms of workload. These are the characteristics women want from an ideal job that offers them opportunities to advance to leadership positions. On the other hand, the study brings again into discussion the topic of the pay gap, an area in which our country holds an encouraging position, having one of the smallest pay gaps between women and men in the EU. This is the result of a culture of performance that we must continue to cultivate, through commitment from the public and the private sectors, from leaders and society as a whole to create a fair and healthy work environment for all,” said Alexandra Smedoiu, Partner, Deloitte Romania, and coordinator of the SheXO Club Program.

Among the areas in which the report’s results show improvements compared to the previous edition is the level of burnout women felt in the workplace, which declined to less than 30% this year, compared to 46% in the previous year. The incidence of discriminatory behaviour has decreased and the efficiency of hybrid working has improved, only 37% of the women who work in a hybrid work system experiencing exclusion from informal meetings, decisions or interactions, a significant decrease from nearly 60% in the previous year.

Deloitte’s survey reveals that the pressure to stay active has increased, with only 37% of women saying they manage to disconnect from work, compared to 45% in the study’s previous edition. At the same time, 43% of respondents say they feel valued based on the number of hours in which they are present physically or online, to the detriment of the quality of work performed, suggesting a culture that encourages mandatory presence at work (presenteeism).

The study was conducted among approximately 5,000 women in ten countries around the world. The report provides a global perspective on women’s views on their experiences in the working environment. The interviewees work full-time or part-time in companies in multiple fields and occupy positions of various levels, including management positions.