The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a toll on the emotional well-being of India's working women as 47% report they are experiencing more stress or anxiety, LinkedIn’s Workforce Confidence Index survey revealed. For men, this number stood at 38%. The survey also underscores the challenges of childcare during the pandemic, LinkedIn said.
The survey has further revealed that 1 in 3 (31%) working mothers are currently providing childcare full-time, when compared to nearly 1 in 5 (17%) working fathers. More than 2 in 5 (44%) working moms are working outside their business hours to provide childcare, nearly twice as many men (25%).
LinkedIn said in a statement that data also suggests that working mothers are more likely to bear the brunt of distractions from childcare while men seek support from friends and family.
The survey shows that only 1 in 5 (20%) working mothers rely on a family member or friend to take care of their children, when compared to 32% men. Findings also show that more than 46% working mothers report working till late to make up for work, and 42% are unable to focus on work with their children at home.
Commenting on these parenting disparities, Neha Bagaria, CEO, JobsForHer says, "One factor is balancing office and domestic work - the bulk of the latter being shouldered by women. Studies reveal increased participation of men during the pandemic, but women still spend most time caring for children."
The survey is based on responses of 2,254 professionals in India from the weeks of July 27 - August 23.
The survey also looked at freelancers, with freelancers in India reporting cautious optimism towards personal finances and career prospects. Findings show that about 1 in 4 freelancers anticipate an increase in their earned income (25%) and personal savings (27%), while close to 1 in 3 (31%) expect their number of investments to increase in the next 6 months.