Research

The Impact of Covid-19 on Workplace Inclusion: Survey

Jul 15, 2020

Catalyst partnered with Edelman Intelligence to research the impact of Covid-19 on gender equity in the workplace. We sought to understand perceptions of gender equity and inclusion, as well as parenting and household responsibilities, on the part of both senior leaders and employees. Further, we assessed how much of a priority employers place on diversity and inclusion in the post-Covid-19 workplace.

Methodology

This research was collected in a 10-minute online survey of 1,100 US adults aged 18 and older in full-time employment conducted by Edelman Intelligence on behalf of Catalyst between June 1-5, 2020. The margin of error is +/- 2.95%.

Respondents included 250 business leaders in large companies and 850 employees in large, multinational companies (with 500-plus employees), representative of the working population in terms of age, gender, region, race, and ethnicity.

The survey reveals that people are optimistic about progress for gender equity in the workplace during Covid-19—but are skeptical about the commitment of companies to address this issue at an institutional level. Further, this survey exposes differences in perception between business leaders and employees on work-life effectiveness and career prospects during and post-Covid-19. 

Key Takeaways

  • Most people surveyed, across gender and race, are optimistic about the changing workplace and believe that workplaces will accelerate gender equity in the wake of Covid-19.
  • However, employees are skeptical of their employer—they do not perceive that their company is fully committed to taking action to build a more inclusive working environment.
  • Business leaders are more likely than employees to believe that Covid-19 provides companies with an opportunity to create more inclusive workplaces for women.
  • More employees than business leaders fear that Covid-19 has negatively impacted their prospects for a promotion. This fear is greater for women employees than for men employees.
  • One in three men said they have taken on more household chores during the pandemic.

Optimism and the Impact of Covid-19 on Workplace Inclusion

Overall, working people are optimistic about the future. Across gender and race, five in 10 working people expect better economic prospects in the next five years, with 49% expecting to be better-off vs.16% expecting to be worse-off.1

Seven in 10 believe workplaces will accelerate gender equity in the wake of Covid-19:

Women: 69%
Men: 74%
Business leaders: 69%
Employees: 72%2

The disruption of Covid-19 is perceived, especially by those in senior positions, as an opportunity for companies to take a stance around inclusion and equity.3

People believe that the new working environment will give them more flexibility in the future:4

Additional Reflections

Those surveyed said that the pandemic may have a positive impact on gender equity:

“Being remote levels the playing field—gender doesn’t come as much into play when everyone is in the same boat.”

“We are more united; there is no difference in gender—just the quality of the work result.”

“More men who think traditionally are getting a real taste of domestic life.”

“[Covid-19] shows that all genders are equally needed in the workplace.”

“Potentially, performing tasks remotely will be evaluated on pure merit and not be impacted by the appearance [gender] of the person.”5

Skepticism About Company Commitment to Gender Equity and Inclusion

Overall, only 41% of people think their company is fully committed, and already doing a lot, to create an inclusive workplace in which employees can thrive during this time of remote working, physical building closures, and new ways of working as a result of Covid-19:

Women: 39%

Men: 45%6

Well under half of those surveyed said they expect their company to enhance gender equity post-Covid-19, prioritizing actions such as flexible working and inclusive hiring and promotions.7

However, women are more likely than men to have felt overlooked in videoconference meetings during the pandemic.8

Optimism Divide Between Leaders and Employees

Workplace Inclusion

While leaders believe that working remotely has facilitated a more inclusive environment, employees are less optimistic.9


Similarly, leaders are more likely than employees to think their company is currently tackling inequities highlighted by the pandemic. When asked the question “Is your employer addressing the inequalities highlighted by the pandemic, such as racial and ethnic disparities?,” 65% of business leaders said yes, with 35% saying no. However, 44% of employees said yes, with 56% saying no.10

Stress

Since Covid-19, four in 10 people are more stressed about their work-life, especially women in leadership:

Total: 45%

Women: 46%

Men: 42%

Women business leaders: 62%

Men business leaders: 56%

Women employees: 43%

Men employees: 37%11

 

Promotion Prospects

More employees than business leaders fear that Covid-19 has negatively impacted their prospects for a promotion (60% vs. 28%).12

The Shifting Dynamics of Labor at Home

One in three men (36% of men living with a woman partner) claimed to have taken on more of the household chores during the pandemic. However, only 13% of women said that their male partner has taken more of the household chores.13

Women are twice as likely to be primarily responsible for their children’s homeschooling, with 24% of fathers but 49% of mothers saying they are primarily responsible for homeschooling their children during this pandemic.14

Most men leaders with children said they have taken on more parenting responsibilities since they began working from home.15

Trust in Companies

Overall, people trust their company to do what is right to create the best post-pandemic work environment.16

Demographics

Endnotes

  1. Question asked: Thinking about the economic prospects for yourself and your family, how do you think you and your family will be doing in five years’ time? Shown percentage selected top 2 better off, bottom 2 worse off. Base: total sample n=1100.
  2. Question asked: Overall, do you believe that the Covid-19 pandemic will have a positive or negative impact on gender equality in the workplace? Shown percentage selected top 2 positive impact. Base: total sample n=1100, total women n=598, total men n=499, total business leaders n=250, total employees n=850.
  3. Question asked: To what extent do you agree with the following statements…? Shown percentage selected top 2 agree. Base: total sample n=1100, total men n=499, total women n=598, women business leaders n=123, women employees n=475.
  4. Question asked: Thinking about how Covid-19 has impacted your working situation, how does it affect your future in each of the following ways? Base: total sample n=1100, total men n=499, total women n=598, business leaders n=250, employees n=850.
  5. Question asked: Why do you believe that the Covid-19 pandemic will have a positive impact on gender equality in the workplace? Base: among those who believe the Covid-19 pandemic will have a positive impact on gender equality in the workplace n=702.
  6. Question asked: Which of the following best describes your company’s commitment to creating an inclusive workplace for employees to thrive during this time of remote working, physical building closures, and new ways of working as a result of Covid-19? Shown percentage selected. Base: total sample n=1100, total men n=499, total women n=598.
  7. Question asked: Do you see your company taking steps after the pandemic to enhance gender equality as a priority in the workplace? Base: total sample n=1100, total business leaders n=250, total employees n=850, total women n=598, total men n=499. Question asked: You said you think your company will take steps after the pandemic to enhance gender equality as a priority in the workplace. Thinking about the different areas below, which ones do you think will be a priority? Please rank all statements from 1 to 9, where 1 means the top priority. Top 5. Base: total sample n=1100, total aged 18-44 n=427.
  8. Question asked: Have you experienced any of the following during a video conference/virtual meeting in the past three months? Base: asked among people working from home (total women n=372, total men n=356, women business leaders n=116).
  9. Question asked: Thinking about the Covid-19 outbreak in the US, do you think that working remotely has facilitated a more inclusive environment in your company? Shown percentage selected yes. Base: asked among people working from home, total sample n=803, business leaders n=221, employees n=582.
  10. Question asked: Please think about the following statements… to what extent do you agree? Shown percentage selected top 2 agree. Base: total business leaders n=250, total employees n=850.
  11. Question asked: Compared to three months ago (before the Covid-19 pandemic became widespread in the United States), would you say that you are currently more or less stressed about…? Shown percentage selected top 2 more stressed. Base: total sample n=1100, total women n=598, women business leaders n=123, women employees n=475, men business leaders n=125, men employees n=374.
  12. Question asked: Thinking about how Covid-19 has impacted your working situation, how does it affect your future in each of the following ways? Net much/somewhat better or Net much/somewhat worse. Base: total business leaders n=250, total employees n=850, women business leaders n=123, women employees n=475, men business leaders n=125, men employees n=374.
  13. Question asked: Thinking about the division of household responsibilities/chores in your home, how do you think the share of these responsibilities have changed since the work-from-home orders were put in place? Shown percentage selected response. Base: men living with woman partner n=178, women living with man partner n=172, men living with man partner n=101, women living with woman partner n=106. This gender difference reported is based on men and women living with an opposite-sex partner. Among same-sex couples, three in 10 working men say they are doing more household chores since the work-from-home orders were put in place. Among women in same-sex partnerships the balance is more equal, with one in four working women doing more at home, yet one in four saying their woman partner is doing more.
  14. Question asked: Who is primarily responsible for homeschooling your children? Shown percentage selected “me.” Base: asked among parents working from home (total women n=152, total men n=148).
  15. Question asked: Thinking about the division of parenting responsibilities within your household, how do you think the share of these responsibilities has changed since the work-from-home orders were put in place? Base: asked among parents, living with a partner, working from home (total sample n=231, fathers n=126, mothers n=104, men business leaders n=66*, women business leaders n=62*, men employees n=60*, women n=42*). *Caution, low base size.
  16. Question asked: How much do you trust the company you work for to do what is right in creating the best work environment post-pandemic? Base: total sample n=1100, total men n=499, total women n=598, business leaders n=250, employees n=850.