Loneliness and burnout: The struggles of women in today’s workplace

Desperately seeking connection and catharsis ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 

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Dousing burnout at home and at work The news • Isolation IRL. Loneliness in Gen X women (ages 41 to 57)—and, in particular, Gen X mothers—rose more sharply than any other group during lockdown, a 2020 survey reveals. Much attention has been paid to the social and digital lives of millennials and Gen Z, but the women of Gen X find themselves struggling with a unique brand of COVID-19 loneliness. The lack of available in-person social outlets has led more women to spend more time on social media. For those who struggled to find friend groups even before the pandemic, it’s no surprise that social media can exacerbate feelings of isolation. [WSJ] • Field of screams. Most mothers can relate to the endless cycle of work, childcare, ever-changing COVID-19 guidance, a lack of vaccines for the under-5 crowd, and the invisible mental load of mothering. For a group of Boston moms, the simmering frustration called for catharsis: a primal-scream session held on a local high school football field. Releasing some of the desperation built up over the past two years may help some women keep going as the pandemic slogs on, said a New York City psychiatrist. [NYT] “Forty-two percent of women report being burned out. That is higher than last year and higher than [the percentage of burned-out] men.” Our insights • Stepping up, falling behind. One of the positive side effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has been employer-led efforts to support mental health. Unfortunately, women still suffer burnout more often than men, at all levels of organizations, even as they are trying to help fellow colleagues reduce burnout. Women are stepping up to be supportive leaders and improving their performance at work but often at the expense of their own well-being. • Women on the brink. McKinsey’s annual Women in the Workplace research shows that one in three women (and 60% of moms with young children) spend five or more hours a day on housework and caregiving, in addition to taking on more responsibility for successful DEI initiatives at work. Learn what leading companies are doing to reward women for the work they do, rather than the hours they work. — Edited by Gwyn Herbein    Support women Was this forwarded to you? Sign up here. Or send us feedback — we’d love to hear from you. Follow our thinking This email contains information about McKinsey’s research, insights, services, or events. By opening our emails or clicking on links, you agree to our use of cookies and web tracking technology. For more information on how we use and protect your information, please review our privacy policy. You received this email because you subscribed to the On Point newsletter. Manage subscriptions | Unsubscribe Copyright © 2022 | McKinsey & Company, 3 World Trade Center, 175 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10007