Redefining Success: International Women’s Day and the Importance of Avoiding Burnout

It’s almost the 8th of March, and that means only one thing: International Women’s Day (IWD) is on the way. The theme this year is #EmbraceEquity. IWD says that a focus on gender equity needs to be part of every society’s DNA, and that equity isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a must-have.

It is a timely reminder, because when it comes to women in the workplace, things could be better. A lot better.

The gender equality split still skews in favor of men. In the U.S., McKinsey figures say that men still hold 75 percent of tech jobs and are on the receiving end of salary offers that are 3 percent higher than women.

Additionally, a December 2022 survey found that more than a third of women leaders considered resigning last year, according to The Chief, a network to support female executives. And LeanIn.org says women are in the midst of a “Great Breakup” with work––as its founder Sheryl Sandberg is well aware of, having resigned as Facebook’s COO in 2022 after 14 years.

Other high profile women in leadership positions have publicly shed their roles too. This year has seen the sudden resignations of former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern, Scotland’s former first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, as well as YouTube’s CEO of nine years, Susan Wojcicki. All indicated burnout as a factor, and Ardern said in her resignation speech that she “no longer had enough in the tank”.

Great Breakup

So what is causing the Great Breakup, and what can be done about it? Burnout is one huge contributor. A Kantar study of 1,000 employees in the U.S. and U.K. found that 68% of U.S. women experienced burnout in the previous seven days, and working moms are 28% more likely to experience burnout than working dads.

LeanIn.org points out a number of other factors. While women are as ambitious as men, they are more likely to experience microaggressions: women leaders are twice as likely as men at the same level to be mistaken for a junior worker.

Women spread themselves thinner, too, with mentoring and inclusion programs increasingly their purview. This work is crucial, but is rarely reflected in their company’s performance evaluations: less than 40 percent of companies evaluate female-led initiatives like team morale and progress on diversity, equity and inclusion metrics.

Women also tend to shoulder more of the burden when it comes to caring duties, such as childcare, and Although women comprise nearly half of the U.S. workforce, they still fulfill a larger share of household responsibilities, according to Gallup.

Solutions

So what is the solution? Shery Sandberg says that women “aren’t leaving the workforce entirely but are choosing to leave for companies with better career opportunities, flexibility, and a real commitment to DEI”

Sandberg adds that “Companies need to double down to remove bias from the workplace and make serious investments in DEI, or we are in real danger of losing decades of progress toward women’s equality. The time to act is now.”

If you’d like to look for a new job this International Women’s Day, then start your search at The Hill Jobs Board where you can browse thousands of jobs, like the three below.

Principal Project Management, Northrop Grumman, Melbourne, FL

Northrop Grumman employees have the opportunity to work on revolutionary systems that impact people’s lives around the world today, and for generations to come. In this Principal Project Management role you will oversee and manage the operational aspects of ongoing projects and serve as a liaison between project management and planning, project team, and line management. The ideal candidate should possess leadership skills and should thrive in a fast-paced work environment with high expectations, significantly diverse assignments, collaborative/team settings across all levels. You will also need active DoD Secret Clearance and a Bachelor’s degree with 10 years’ of project management experience or a Master’s degree with eight years’ experience. View more details here.

U.S. Private Bank – Private Banker – Vice President, JP Morgan Chase, Dallas

Although one of the oldest financial institutions in the U.S., J.P. Morgan Chase continues to innovate. It is currently looking for a Private Banker to advise families on building, preserving and managing their wealth. Using your knowledge of investments, financial planning, credit and banking to both advise current clients on all aspects of their balance sheet and drive new client acquisition, you will also partner with internal specialists to provide interdisciplinary expertise to clients when needed, while strictly adhering to all risk and control policies. To apply, you should have a Bachelor’s degree along with six years’ experience in private banking or financial services. See the full job description here.

Director, Legislative Affairs, National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Alexandria

As Director, Legislative Affairs at the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children you will work to build and maintain trusted relationships with congressional offices, caucuses, and committees on the federal level and legislative offices and committees on the state level through consistent, strategic legislative outreach, advocacy, and information sharing relating to legislative and policy issues in support of NCMEC’s mission, programs, and services. You’ll also be required to manage the work of the legislative affairs manager and state policy council. Find out more here.

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