Rethink Job Design to Attract and Retain Women

Sustaining recent momentum in greater workforce participation among women and building sustainable labor pools requires organizations to face the realities of women’s lives and responsibilities -- and the factors influencing their career decisions. In a series of recent surveys, Gallup explored the complexities of women’s employment preferences and what organizations can do to attract and retain women in an ever-changing world of work.

Gender Differences in Employment Preferences

If given the choice, most U.S. employees would choose to be employed to some degree -- though men and women differ in their preferred employment situation.

Most men (62%) prefer full-time employment, while about one in four (23%) would prefer part-time employment. Meanwhile, women are about evenly split in their preference for full-time (40%) or part-time (38%) work. Though both genders are least likely to prefer staying at home to manage household or family responsibilities, women (22%) are a bit more likely than men (14%) to prefer this arrangement.

Further disparities emerge when comparing employees’ current work situation with their preferred arrangement. About half of women (48%) report a misalignment between their current and preferred employment situation compared with 34% of men.

This misalignment has consequences for employees’ wellbeing. Employees experiencing misalignment are 81% more likely to be burned out very often or always (31% vs. 17%) and twice as likely to say their job has had an extremely negative impact on their mental health over the last six months (8% vs. 4%).

Responsibilities at Home Shape Employment Preferences

Work is just one facet of an employee’s life, and the responsibilities individuals juggle outside of work can have a profound impact on their career decisions. Gallup asked employees who reported that they and their live-in significant other are both employed full time to indicate the degree to which they or their partner is responsible for managing various household duties, such as cooking, laundry and tending to children’s needs.

While women and men report similar levels of responsibility for bills and finances, women are more likely than men to say they are responsible for most other household duties presented -- ranging from 2.8 times to 12.3 times as likely to say they are exclusively responsible -- except for house maintenance and yard work. Women are 8.2 times as likely as men to say they are exclusively or mostly responsible for six or more household duties.

According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, women in the U.S. spend roughly 4.5 hours a day on unpaid household labor compared with 2.8 hours for men.¹ This additional workload at home affects employment preferences. The more responsibilities employees take on at home, the less likely they are to indicate a preference for full-time work and more likely they are to express interest in part-time roles or staying at home to manage household and/or family responsibilities. The differences in men’s and women’s employment preferences are likely related to the disproportionate responsibilities women carry at home.

What Women Look for in a Role

When it comes to the characteristics that attract people to a job, women and men largely prioritize the same factors. However, women often place a stronger emphasis on these needs.

As employee life evaluation recently hit a record low, both genders agree that greater work-life balance and better personal wellbeing is their top priority when looking for a new job -- though women (61%) place even greater importance on this factor than do men (54%). Following greater work-life balance, both genders’ top priorities involve greater job security and better pay and benefits, which they similarly rate as “very important.”

How Organizations Attract Women Candidates

While women and men seek many of the same qualities in a job, organizations that prioritize a few key strategies will gain a competitive edge in today’s labor market, especially when it comes to attracting, engaging and retaining high-talent women.

1. Reassess existing job structures.

Prior Gallup research has shown that rigid job structures have deterred women from pursuing senior leadership. A sizable number of women -- and men -- indicate a preference for part-time work, yet such roles often come with fewer benefits, lower pay and limited opportunities for advancement.² Organizations that expand their approach to job design -- such as creating professional-level part-time roles with pathways for career development -- can better support women during life stages where they are balancing greater demands at home while providing opportunities for them to reenter full-time work in the future. Expanding job structures in this way not only benefits women but also strengthens the overall workforce by retaining experienced and highly skilled talent.

2. Embrace flexibility.

The return-to-office trend could inadvertently push women out of the workforce. Employees -- particularly women -- place a high value on flexible work arrangements as a way to manage the competing responsibilities of work and life. Whether it’s flexible hours, hybrid and remote options, or supportive policies and benefits such as parental leave and childcare subsidies, organizations that prioritize flexibility will be better positioned to retain talented women in their workforce. Women who strongly agree their workplace provides the flexibility they need to address childcare are 15% more likely to select full-time employment as their preferred option. Embracing flexibility helps women balance their responsibilities without sacrificing their career.

3. Integrate wellbeing and workplace culture.

The top consideration for women and men when determining to take a new job is whether the position will allow them to have greater work-life balance and personal wellbeing. Meaningful action -- such as providing wellness programs, mental health resources, comprehensive health benefits and a supportive work environment -- will help organizations to gain a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining top talent.