Women feel more pressure to work when sick, survey finds

A recent survey revealed that 57% of women in Ireland feel obligated to work while sick when working remotely, compared with just 34% of men.

It also found that women in Irish workplaces (40%) are more likely than men (32%) to feel mentally exhausted and drained after the working day.

The survey, from HR technology firm Workhuman, also found that despite these disparities, 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.

Women are also more likely to value diversity and inclusion in the workplace, the survey found, with 84 per cent citing it as an important consideration when it comes to remaining at their current organisation, compared with 73 per cent of men.

Key findings:

•Over half (57%) of women in Irish workplaces feel obligated to work while sick when working remotely, compared to a third (34%) of men

•Women in Ireland (40%) are more likely than men (32%) to feel mentally exhausted after work

•However, women and men are equally likely to feel respected at work

•Parents in Ireland are less likely to feel respected at work than parents in the UK, U.S., or Canada combined (64% vs 72%)

•60% of Irish parents were more likely to feel overworked in the last 12 months compared to their global counterparts (52%)

The survey was carried out by Dynata on behalf of Workhuman across 2,268 full-time employees in Ireland, the UK, the U.S., and Canada. The aim of the research was to explore the state of human connection at work.