It is disheartening to see the impact of this pandemic on women.

In February, right before the start of the pandemic, women reached a new milestone, making more than half of the US (nonfarm) labor force. While in previous recessions job losses for men were much higher than women, in this current crisis we are seeing the opposite. There is a big impact on service occupations, with high female employment, as well as the impact of the closing of schools and child care facilities on working mothers.

Parents have become full time childcare providers and home school teachers, with mothers spending about 15 hours more than fathers on education and household tasks, on average per week. With mothers taking on more of the burden of childcare responsibilities, and the disproportionate loss of jobs, and slower gains, in predominantly female employed occupations, the Covid-19 pandemic is having a greater negative effect on women and their employment opportunities.

Unfortunately this impact could last a lifetime, reducing women’s earning potential and work opportunities, impacting the women, their families, and gender equality in the workplace, with further implications for company performance and the talent pipeline.

How businesses respond will have a lasting impact on employee behavior including, engagement, productivity, loyalty and retention.

What can you do?

On an organizational level, can you provide more flexible schedules? Enable employees to work part time? Provide creative solutions to home schooling and remote learning?

Each and every manager should check in with their employees. How are they and their families coping? Talk with both the males and females. Providing a more flexible environment for men may create a more supportive environment for women, and enable them to remain in the workforce.

Don’t avoid these conversations.

You do not need to have all the answers.

Showing your employees that you care is now more important than ever.

Some managers that I have spoken with, were hesitant to bring up the topic and really ask how their employees are doing. As managers, they are often used to be the ones who have the answers. Nowadays a lot of them are facing these exact same situations.

Your employees don’t expect you to have all the answers.

They will appreciate empathy. You will likely be able to help with some prioritizing and extending certain deadlines. You could also explore creating more flexible schedules that can accommodate their family’s needs. Together you may come up with creative solutions to certain problems.

Reach out to your employees. Many of them are struggling. Don’t have them assume that you do not care about them and their well-being, impacting their motivation, engagement, productivity and retention.

If nothing else, don’t lose an important opportunity to identify which of your employees are at risk.

The limited gains made in the past decades in gender equality in the work place are at risk of being rolled back.

Let’s not ignore this issue.

Managers, initiate the conversation.

Employees, reach out to your managers and have an honest conversation with them.

Join me in doing the right thing and making an intentional, important effort to help families cope with the pandemic and keep women in the workforce.

Not sure how to approach this conversation? I am here to help. Schedule your free 30 minute call with Miki Feldman Simon, Founder of IamBackatWork, Career and Executive Coach.