Why it Matters 
Since the height of the pandemic, over one million women left the national workforce and never returned¹. This has resulted in serious implications for our state’s workforce as businesses seek innovative ways to attract and retain talent in the face of challenges such as rising family care costs and employee burnout.

The Research
Nationally, both men and women experienced a 3% drop in labor force participation through the height of the pandemic. However, men have returned to work at higher rates, whereas over one million women are ‘missing’ from the labor force¹. In Georgia, although women make up a greater share of the civilian population, as of 2023, they participate in the workforce at a rate of about 56%, compared to 68% for men². This means that more women than men are choosing not to engage in the workforce.  

Two of the most significant barriers to workforce engagement are cost & availability of caring for family members, and employee burnout. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce cites that 58% of parents were unable to find childcare. Of those that could, over a quarter could not afford it¹. Women also participate at higher rates in fields where employees are considered more ‘at risk’ such as education and healthcare, and women continue to break into more corporate roles. Women currently represent one in four C-suite leaders, and 80% of women want to be promoted to the next level⁴. In 2020, 25% of women considered leaving their careers due to burnout, increasing to 33% of women by 2021¹. Providing flexible workplace options and resources to help reduce feelings of burnout and accommodate for family care can have significant positive effects on employees’ career trajectory, overall company culture and productivity.

Why it Matters to Your Business  

Prioritizing women in the workforce and overall employee retention leads to better employee performance, organizational growth, and a reduction in overall costs³.

What You Can Do

• Take employee feedback into consideration, when possible, to address potential burnout issues. Offer the ability for employees to provide feedback into their workflow, further ensuring their engagement in the workforce.  

• Evaluate family care offerings and resources. Research indicates that offering or supporting employee family and child-care options can save a business significant funds in the long run as turnover costs are reduced.  

What Georgia Can Do 

• Bolster and expand offerings statewide including, but not limited to, family care facility and early education programs.  

The Big Picture  

Women’s participation in the workforce is half the puzzle in addressing talent shortages. If businesses cannot take part in solutions-based discussions around flexible and innovative options to engage all types of workers, they will continue to succumb to the challenge of talent shortage.