Flexibility Over Stability: Women and Gig Work During COVID-19
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.
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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.
