Exploring the Exhaustion Gap
Berlin Cameron
Kantar
Fair Play
Women have been set back in the pandemic often shouldering the burden of additional housework and career work.
This research was conducted online using 1,001 respondents sourced from the Kantar Profiles Audience Network across the US (510) and UK (491). All interviews were conducted as online self-completion among employed people between February 18-22, 2022, and collected based on controlled age quotas: 25-34 (350), 35-44 (322), 45-54 (329).
Women are burnt out, isolated, and aren’t likely to ask for help
66%
of women have felt burnt out in the past 7 days (63% in the US and 57% in the UK).
71%
Burnout is even higher among younger women aged 25-34, reaching 71% globally (and 83% in the US).
50%
Only 50% of women are likely to ask for help if they feel burnt out. 16% of women don’t feel like they have anyone to ask for help.
66%
of women feel isolated. 41% of women feel isolated sometimes. And an additional 25% feel often or always isolated. Only 1 out of 3 men feel isolated.
21%
of women feel that they don’t have a good support system.
Women want acknowledgement for their unpaid and often invisible work, both at home and in the workplace. For partners, recognizing the additional tasks women handle around the house—beyond simply sharing household chores—can significantly reduce their stress. Employers can help alleviate women’s stress by not only offering flexible schedules but also acknowledging the extra responsibilities women take on at work. Women have been set back in the pandemic.
42%
of women feel that the pandemic has had a somewhat or very negative impact on their lives in general.
49%
felt that the pandemic has had a somewhat or very negative impact on their mental health.
32%
felt that it had a somewhat or very negative impact on their physical health.
27%
of women feel that their social circle has shrunk since the pandemic began.
26%
percent of women feel somewhat less or much less motivated in their career.
26%
of women feel it’s more difficult to complete a creative task than pre-pandemic.
66%
of women didn’t receive a pay or salary increase and 79% did not receive a promotion since the start of the pandemic.
55%
feel that not enough attention is given to women’s issues since the pandemic began.
35%
of women are doing fewer things that they enjoy and a lot less often than before the pandemic.
27%
of women are doing less things that they are passionate about since the pandemic.
27%
feel that not enough attention is given to women's issues since the pandemic began.
25%
of women are doing fewer things that are meaningful to them.
43%
of women feel somewhat or much less motivated to be social than pre pandemic.
Women are feeling more:
55%
Worried
57%
Stressed
55%
Frustrated
53%
Exhausted
51%
Emotional
46%
Stressed and cried at work recently
33%
Getting into more arguments
Women are feeling less:
24%
Creative
21%
Inspired
22%
Driven
Coping mechanisms that women are using (note all of these are higher in the US than in the UK):
42%
Binge-watching
35%
Exercising
34%
Stress eating
30%
Sleeping longer
25%
Playing more games
13%
Taking sleeping aids (18% in the US)
19%
More alcohol
Women are living for others:
55%
of women never or rarely do an activity that inspires them. (59% in the US and 51% in the UK)
36%
of women never or rarely do something just for them.
29%
percent of women never or rarely do an activity that doesn’t revolve around being productive.
60%
of women spend more than half of their week doing things for others.
Women wish they had more time to devote to taking care of themselves:
64%
of women wish they had more time for themselves.
64%
of women wish they could take better care of themselves.
53%
of women wish they could invest in themselves and their interests and hobbies.
When engaging in activities that are just for them:
36%
feel relieved versus 43% men
23%
feel inspired versus 33% men
22%
feel creative versus 30% men
28%
feel pampered versus 19% men
But they also feel:
25%
feel guilty versus 19% men
6%
feel ashamed versus 9% men
There is no ambition gap, just a glaring exhaustion gap.
Explore more case studies
USC Fair Play Research
Exploring the Exhaustion Gap
