In March, I wrote about how COVID-19 is a gender and equity issue; pundits have coined the term “she-cession” in relation to the disproportionate gender impact. Recently, McKinsey and Co. updated its annual Women in the Workplace study and found that 1 in 4 women are considering downshifting their career or leaving the workforce altogether. This number increases to 1 in 3 if they are mothers. Women of color are even more deeply impacted. In Rhode Island, 25,000 women have left the workforce. Can we afford to lose even more?
The lack of a care infrastructure has contributed to the hardships facing families in Rhode Island and across the country during this pandemic. As the U.S. and Rhode Island work to address dual health and economic crises, our leaders have an opportunity to create a “new better” in which a strong care infrastructure can help our economy to recover quickly. We need to build a more inclusive, responsive and innovative world.
Direct investments to subsidize child care and long-term care costs and enhanced wages for caregivers can have an immediate economic impact. The U.S. Department of Labor in 2015 estimated that the 5 million women who were missing from the nationwide labor force for reasons connected to family care resulted in a loss of $500 billion of economic activity each year. Investment in the caregiving economy is an effective job-creation strategy and can generate twice as many jobs per dollar as “shovel-ready” initiatives. These types of jobs also make all other work possible. Recovery plans must start with a universal care infrastructure, including:
• Universal child care.
• Paid leave for all (paid family, medical leave and paid sick days).
• Raising wages for all care workers (child care, nursing care, teachers, etc.).
Recovery plans must start with a universal care infrastructure.
Workplaces can also be part of the “new better” by asking whether their current productivity and performance expectations are realistic and based on results, rather than the number of hours spent on the project or done outside of the workplace. Business leaders should also signal that it is OK to take advantage of workplace flexibility options and create a culture that supports both in-person and remote workers. In particular, we need men to take advantage of these options as well, so that the need for flexibility is not seen as solely a gender issue.
We can’t afford to lose women in the workplace. Focusing on a care infrastructure and creating an equitable workplace culture will mean our economy will come back more vibrant and productive in the future.
Kelly Nevins is executive director of the Women’s Fund of Rhode Island.