A new survey reveals that 57% of women in Ireland feel obligated to work while sick when working remotely, compared with just 34% of men.
The survey, from HR technology firm Workhuman, also found that 40% of women in Irish workplaces feel mentally exhausted and drained after the working day compared to 32% of men.
But despite these disparities, the survey found that women and men are equally likely to feel respected at work in Ireland.
According to the survey, 65% of women working in Ireland feel respected in their jobs, compared to 64% of men. Meanwhile, 55% of both women and men are also likely to feel appreciated for their work.
Today’s survey was carried out by Dynata on behalf of Workhuman across 2,268 full-time employees in Ireland, the UK, the US and Canada.
The aim of the research was to explore the state of human connection at work and it found that while men and women are equally likely to feel respected and appreciated at work, women are more likely to value diversity and inclusion in the workplace.
When it comes to staying at their organisation, some 84% of women reported that diversity and inclusion is important to them, compared to 73% of men.
Niamh Graham, Senior Vice President Global Human Experience at Workhuman, said the new research highlights work practices and sentiments in a post-pandemic world and allows the company to observe how Irish workers fare against their global counterparts.
“Women working remotely in Ireland clearly feel significantly more pressure to work while they are unwell, compared to their male colleagues. Whether this is external or internal pressure, it is something that must be addressed by every organisation as they strive to create more human-led workforces,” Ms Graham said.
Noting that gender bias still exists in workplaces, she said that managers must not only ensure that they themselves are treating everyone equally, but they must also be aware of how their team members are perceiving and acting upon their roles and obligations, and make sure that the workload is not disproportionately distributed based on a person’s gender, race or otherwise.
“Despite the differing attitudes highlighted in our research, it is encouraging to see that both women and men feel equally respected and appreciated at work in Ireland. Showing appreciation and recognising employees is not only good for the human, but also good for business,” she added.
