‘Superwoman Syndrome’ is real in NY. We need to close the gender pay gap

Rebecca L. Watts
·3 min read

Despite its reputation as one of the most progressive states in the nation, New York continues to struggle with the gender wage gap.

Women in New York earned only 88 cents to a man’s dollar in 2021, and for women of color the gap was even wider, according to the state Department of Labor. The math works out to a shortfall north of $350,000 over 40 years — meaning a woman would have to work seven additional years to make up the difference.

Women have forged a path into the labor force, shifting cultural norms in the United States slightly each year since the early 1900s. There are nearly 77.5 million of us working or seeking employment today. The value of women workers, and the strengths we bring to leadership, have been documented at length.

“Superwoman Syndrome” describes it best. The term, coined in 1984, has persisted for decades because it still resonates. Today’s woman is under pressure to do it all perfectly — on the job, at home, in the community and in relationships — leading to symptoms negatively affecting mood, sleep memory and concentration.
“Superwoman Syndrome” describes it best. The term, coined in 1984, has persisted for decades because it still resonates. Today’s woman is under pressure to do it all perfectly — on the job, at home, in the community and in relationships — leading to symptoms negatively affecting mood, sleep memory and concentration.

Those gains have come at a price, beyond the sting of persistent inequities in pay and promotions. We face time poverty, limiting our chances to pursue social or educational enrichment. Invisible labor, the workplace tasks like orienting new employees, often fall on women, without easing our other duties.

“Superwoman Syndrome” describes it best. The term, coined in 1984, has persisted for decades because it still resonates. Today’s woman is under pressure to do it all perfectly — on the job, at home, in the community and in relationships — leading to symptoms negatively affecting mood, sleep memory and concentration. To cite one statistic, researchers at The Ohio State University recently found that 68% of working mothers experienced burnout, compared with 42% of working dads.

We must do more as a society to address both issues: closing the pay disparity and easing unsustainable demands and expectations on women.

Department of Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon points to remote-hybrid work as one key to evening the playing field on earnings, as the pandemic highlighted the need for flexible work arrangements. I’d argue that rethinking today’s workplace — leaning into the flexibility of remote participation — is an antidote to "Superwoman Syndrome” as well.

Only 10% of women want to work mostly on site, according to a 2022 study by McKinsey and Company and LeanIn.org. Those who are given a choice between remote or in-person roles are happier, less burned out and more likely to feel they have equal opportunities.

The higher education institutions that fill our workforce pipeline should pay attention, too.

At least 20% of college students are parents, most of them women. And more than 2.1 million single mothers in the U.S. are trying to earn an undergraduate degree.

If women are asking for agency and choice in how they work, it stands to reason they’d want the same at school. Needing to be on-site to pursue a degree means less time for family, friends, household responsibilities, leisure and career. Introducing alternative models of education — ones that take flexibility into account — can help women learners make space for professional advancement.

One relatively new solution is online, competency-based education, which measures demonstration of skills and subject knowledge rather than time or “hours” spent in a classroom. Research shows that this model is more advantageous to women because it provides flexibility. Women can more effectively grow their skills and knowledge while holding full-time employment, being present for friends or family, or carving out time for themselves.

Trying to do it all, while already shouldering the burden of the wage gap, can’t come at the cost of our physical and mental health. Leaders in government, industry and academia can — and should — step up, using the tools at their disposal to help women achieve balance and equity, while still advancing in their knowledge and careers.

Rebecca L. Watts, Ph.D., serves as a regional vice president for Western Governors University, a nonprofit, accredited university focused on competency-based learning with more than 3,400 students and 6,300 alumni in New York. She holds a doctorate in higher education leadership from Ohio University, and degrees in communication, including a master’s degree from the University of Illinois at Springfield, a bachelor's degree from Sangamon State University, Ill., and an associate degree from Lincoln Land Community College, Ill.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: NY gender pay gap must be solved