Caregiving pressures top factor pushing women out of the workforce, Catalyst finds
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Survey of women who exited the workforce in 2025 sheds light on the reasons why they left.
- 42% of women who voluntarily left their jobs reported that caregiving responsibilities, including the cost of childcare, drove their decision to exit the workforce.
- Women who voluntarily left their jobs were more likely than women who remained to have worked in organizations without flexible schedules (37% vs 22%).
- Nearly one in five women (18%) who voluntarily left their jobs reported dissatisfaction with pay as a contributing factor.
- Women from marginalized racial and ethnic groups were disproportionately affected by layoffs, with 53% reporting being laid off compared to 37% of White women.
New York, January 29, 2026 — More than 455,000 women left the US workforce between January and August of 2025, and new research from Catalyst, the global nonprofit accelerating organizational performance and women's progress, reveals the most common reasons for their exits. In a national survey of women who left the workforce over the past year, 42% of those who voluntarily exited reported caregiving responsibilities, including the cost of childcare, as the strongest factor behind their decision to leave.
Among women who left the workforce, 58% left voluntarily while 42% were let go. Those from marginalized racial and ethnic groups were more likely to report being laid off (53%) than White women (37%), highlighting a disproportionate impact on women of color, who are more likely to be caregivers, in the federal workforce, and in frontline roles.
These findings indicate that structural conditions — such as inflexible working hours, lack of affordable childcare options, and low pay — are driving women’s workforce participation decisions. For many women, who assume the majority of childcare responsibilities, the decision to leave work is fueled by the reality of trying to manage caregiving demands in rigid jobs that were not designed for parents and caregivers.
“This research makes clear that women’s workforce exits are not about a lack of ambition or commitment,” said Jennifer McCollum, president and CEO of Catalyst. “They reflect the reality that too many jobs still fail to account for caregiving responsibilities and economic pressures. If we want to understand why women are leaving, we have to look at how work continues to be structured.”
Flexibility, pay, and burnout play a role in women’s workforce exits
Survey data shows that a lack of schedule flexibility played a significant role in women’s workforce exits. More than a third (37%) of women who voluntarily exited the workforce reported working in jobs without schedule flexibility, compared with 22% of women who stayed in the workforce. This suggests that limited flexibility made it harder for women to balance caregiving responsibilities alongside rigid work schedules.
Caregiving pressures were often compounded by economic strain. Nearly one in five women (18%) who voluntarily left their jobs reported that dissatisfaction with pay was a factor in their decision-making and reported high levels of burnout tied to job market uncertainty (20%) and concerns about job security (22%).
How to re-engage and retain women in the workplace
The findings point to clear, practical steps employers can take to retain women and support re-entry for those who left the workforce over the past year.
“Women are not ‘opting out’ — they are leaving because many jobs are not designed around the logistical and financial realities of childcare and women’s lives,” said Sheila Brassel, PhD, a research director at Catalyst. “Employers that want to bring women back to the workforce and retain top talent need to take action through tangible and meaningful policies that support women's full participation.”
Based on the experiences reported by women who left the workforce, the research highlights several areas where employers can take action:
- Provide schedule flexibility that allows employees to adjust work hours. Catalyst research finds that flexible work models are critical for women to best manage their life and work needs and ensure retention.
- Implement policies and supports that will relieve caregiving pressures for all employees. This can include paid emergency care days, financial subsidies, on-site childcare, flex spending accounts, and other benefits.
- Conduct regular audits to ensure fair pay and career growth. Women are still left behind in pay, representation, and opportunity, preventing them from career advancement that drives retention.
“Re-engaging and retaining women requires addressing caregiving realities, offering schedule flexibility, and ensuring work structures, equal pay, and access to opportunity that allow women not only to return to the workforce, but to thrive there,” added Brassel.
Methodology
These data were collected from October 29 - November 14, 2025, as part of a broader survey of 1,029 US adults ages 18 and older. The results focus on the subset of n = 206 women who had left the workforce since January 1, 2025, and compares their experiences to those of n = 349 full-time employed women. A significantly greater proportion of women who left the workforce previously worked at an organization that did not offer flexible work options as compared to full-time employed women, χ2(1) = 14.89, p < .001. A significantly greater proportion of women from marginalized racial and ethnic groups reported being laid off compared to White women, χ2(1) = 4.60, p = .03.
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About Catalyst
Catalyst is the leading global nonprofit advancing women through workplace inclusion. Since 1962, we've been the foremost voice on women's inclusion and advancement, helping organizations drive systemic change with original, intersectional research, global convenings, and actionable solutions. In today's complex and rapidly shifting landscape, Catalyst supports leaders in solving business challenges of attracting and retaining talent, fostering innovation and driving performance through inclusive cultures, ensuring that inclusion remains a core business priority. Catalyst is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization.