COVID-19 has intensified work, childcare and housework pressures. Senior-level women are under significantly more pressure than their male counterparts. Black women feel under-supported and impacted by racial violence. One in four women are considering downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce entirely because of the impact of COVID-19, according to a new report. “As many as two million women are considering taking a leave of absence or leaving the workforce altogether,” warns Women in the Workplace, the largest comprehensive study of the state of women in corporate America. “Many employees are exhausted and burned out. “Women in particular have been negatively impacted, and three groups are facing distinct challenges: mothers, senior-level women, and Black women.” Mothers are significantly more likely than fathers to be thinking about downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce, with childcare responsibilities as a primary reason. An Asian American woman and senior manager with two children aged one and five tells the study: “There were times when I said to my husband, ‘One of us is going to have to quit our job.’ And I remember thinking, ‘How come I’m the only one thinking about this, and my husband isn’t?’ I don’t think him leaving was ever in question.” Mothers are also more than twice as likely as fathers to worry that they’ll be judged more harshly at work because of their caregiving responsibilities. Companies risk losing women leaders One working mother — a Vice-President with a three-year-old child — told the study’s authors: “I don’t have a sliver of time without a meeting from 8am until 6pm every single day. “There’s no buffer to get a glass of water, go to the bathroom, check on my child.” Senior-level women are significantly more likely than men at the same level to feel under pressure to work more and be “always on.” And they are 1,5 times more likely than senior-level men to think about downshifting their careers or leaving the workforce because of COVID-19. Almost three in four cite burnout as a main reason. Black women are less likely to feel supported at work during COVID-19 Black women are more than twice as likely as women overall to say the death of a loved one has been one of their biggest challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic. Incidents of racial violence across the US are also exacting a heavy emotional toll. But fewer than one in three Black women report that their manager has checked in on them in light of recent racial violence. And only about a third say their manager has fostered an inclusive culture on their team. “There was a real silence after George Floyd happened. “And I felt like that silence ripped open a wound that I didn’t realise had been so deep,” one Black and Latina manager told the authors How companies can help Employers need to check whether productivity and performance expectations set before COVID-19 are still realistic, and help create work-life boundaries, says the report. For example, establishing set hours for meetings. They should also raise awar