Are You Reimagined? Facts For Navigating Your Post-Pandemic Work & Life
Information is a great resource in re-imagining your work and life after COVID.
The more you know, the better you can do.
A spate of new research on shifts and changes in income, career, life outlook and more for women since the pandemic slowdown and ensuing Delta surge shows significant changes in who we are, and how we work in the world.
“New research on shifts and changes in income, career, life outlook and more for #women since the pandemic slowdown and ensuing #Delta surge shows significant changes in who we are, and how we work in the world. #workplace”
The intention is that these facts can point to trends and pathways for the way forward.
It will be 2030 by the time U.S. women recover economically from the pandemic, regaining the 3 million jobs they lost due to COVID since February 2020, according to a new report from the National Women’s Law Center.
“It will be 2030 by the time U.S. #women recover economically from the #pandemic, regaining the 3 million jobs they lost due to COVID since February 2020, according to a new report from the @Nwlc.”
The latest August jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows a gain of 235,000 jobs, but 41,000 women ages 20 and over left the labor force, with women’s labor force participation falling to 57.4% in August, “well below their pre-pandemic labor force participation rate of 59.2% in February 2020,” the National Women’s Law Center reports. It has not been this low since 1988.
Young women are hit the hardest, with 94% of job losses for women 20-24 years old, and 20% of job losses for Black women 20-24.
“Information is a great resource in re-imagining your work and life after COVID. #workplace #postCOVID #transition”
In some sectors, women continued to lose jobs, while men gained. These include leisure and hospitality, government, education and health services and childcare. Gains for women are encouraging in professional and business services, with women gaining 35.1% of the jobs added to this sector.
Knowing these trends can perhaps initiate a pivot to a different sector or enhancing training in one of these areas.
A separate, new study from AmEx Trendex shows that those who are transitioning back to the office from remote work are optimistic, with 81% reporting “they are confident they will be just as productive working in the office as working remotely.”
Flexible is top of mind for those returning workers as 37% say they want a hybrid schedule of remote and in-office work. Of those surveyed, 21% say the top priority is alternative hours.
Health and wellness are top of mind for many workers as 87% of working adults indicate wanting to make healthier choices, including 52% saying they want to exercise before or after work.
The difficulties of the past 18 months, particularly for women are igniting a reimagining of self, habits and the future of how individuals see themselves and their mission in the world.
“The difficulties of the past 18 months, particularly for women are igniting a reimagining of self, habits and the future of how individuals see themselves and their mission in the world. #womenleaders #personalgrowth”
An extensive new Accenture survey of more than 25,000 consumers across 22 countries found that 50% of those surveyed “say that the pandemic caused them to rethink their personal purpose and re-evaluate what’s important to them in life.”
What does that mean?
The study shows, “People looked inward, elevating concepts of relationships and responsibility and re-evaluating their priorities.” This is shifting how they live, what they purchase, and companies they align with. “Through their purchase choices, they are purposefully seeking to influence their communities and the environment, and to confirm how they see themselves in the world.”
Accenture call this group of individuals “Reimagined.” Nearly half of them say they are disappointed with companies that did not support or understand their needs during the pandemic. What this group looks for most now are quality of products, 21%, down from 26% last year and trust, at 12%, up from 10 percent last year.
“Forty-two percent say the pandemic made them realize they need to focus on others more than themselves,” the Accenture study shows.
Knowing that many people are also reimagining their lives, work and personal purpose, can help perhaps to align yourself with new ways to achieve what you intend.
“Knowing that many people are also reimagining their lives, work and personal #purpose, can help perhaps to align yourself with new ways to achieve what you intend. #intentioning ”
New research from National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine and Societal Experts Action Network in the report, Short-term Strategies to Address the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Women’s Workforce Participation, offers six immediate steps for institutions, organizations, companies, leaders and policy makers to take to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic on women.
According to the report, over the course of the pandemic 2.5 million women left the job market, compared with 1.8 million men. Mothers, Black and Hispanic women, low-income workers, workers without college-level education, and those in service occupations were highly affected by closures and economic shifts. Among mothers and fathers who kept their jobs, mothers bore a larger share of child care responsibilities — with 36 percent saying they had a lot of child care responsibilities on top of their paid employment while working from home, compared with only 16 percent of fathers.”
“According to a new report from @NASEM_pubs and the Societal Experts Action Network, over the course of the #pandemic 2.5 million women left the #jobmarket, compared with 1.8 million men. ”
To address these problems, the report shows these steps are needed:
Provide direct financial support for women and their families. Targeted and direct financial support to women who have lost their jobs or decreased their work hours can help address the economic costs of the pandemic, by helping families meet basic needs such as food and housing.
Promote women’s access to traditionally male-dominated jobs. State and local decision-makers can start investing in education, apprenticeships, and recruitment for women in jobs and sectors dominated by men — such as trades or construction.
Introduce policies that support families. Policies such as paid family leave, flexible schedules, and remote work options can enable women with caregiving demands to continue or return to work in the short term. Research shows policies that reduce the unpredictability of work — such as requiring advance notice of shift scheduling or working late — can support women.
Invest in the childcare system. The pandemic forced many childcare providers to temporarily or permanently close. Because the majority of the childcare workforce are women, increasing childcare spending subsidies to boost compensation for child care workers can boost women’s employment and remove barriers for mothers reentering the workforce.
Provide access to mental health services. Mental health support can help employees who have suffered significant stress and disruption caused by the pandemic, and may assist in the retention of women workers considering dropping out of the labor market due to COVID-19-related impacts.
Invest in workforce development and education. Workforce development programs can boost remote or telework skills, give women the opportunity to change professions, or enable women to gain new skills while they work, bolstering short-term economic recovery efforts.
“Direct financial #support to women who have lost their jobs or decreased their work hours can help address the economic costs of the #pandemic, by helping families meet basic needs such as food and housing.”
As an individual leader reimagining your career and life in the emerging phases from the pandemic, you can perhaps try to embark on these changes yourself, or approach top decision makers to offer access to these services. You can always invest in your own education and development.
“Policies such as paid family leave, flexible schedules, and #remotework options can enable women with caregiving demands to continue or return to work in the short term. #paidleave”
The goal is to ingest this new information to see where you can land to best fit your purpose in a life reimagined post-COVID.
