The 12 Hidden Crises of Working Women: A new call to action for women, managers, and employers

Before the current economic downturn, women were already beset with a number of crises—personal and professional—and were seeking radical change in how they work and live. According to my research—a yearlong national study in partnership with the Esteemed Woman Foundation that culminated in the book Breakdown Breakthrough: The Professional Woman's Guide to Claiming a Life of Passion, Power and Purpose—seven out of 10 women, particularly those in their middle years, say they are at a major turning point in their professional lives. After devoting years to building successful careers, they feel that their professional lives and identities no longer work. Consequently, most are facing at least one of 12 “hidden” work/life crises, including chronic health problems, financial bondage, and failure to balance family and work.  At the end of this piece you can listen to me discuss what I recommend women do when dealing with any of these challenges. 

12 hidden crises women face

A true professional crisis is far more than a “tough time.”  It is a no-turning-back situation—a point in time that demands reckoning, reevaluation, and action. So how do women know when they’ve reached that point? When they frequently find themselves saying, “I can’t do this”—the desperate cry, or negative mantra, of work-life crisis—and consistently have deep-down feelings of disempowerment, they are likely experiencing one or more of 12 hidden crises. Among the crises:

Suffering from chronic health problems:  Failing health—a chronic illness or ailment—that won’t respond to treatment

Losing their “voice”:  Contending with a crippling inability to speak up—unable to be an advocate for themselves or others, for fear of criticism, rejection, or punishment

Facing abuse or mistreatment:  Being treated badly, even intolerably, at work—and choosing to stay

Feeling trapped by financial fears:  Remaining in a negative situation solely because of money

Wasting real talents:  Realizing their work no longer fits and desperately wanting to use their natural talents and abilities in different ways

Struggling to balance life and work:  Trying—and failing—to balance it all, and feeling like they’re letting down who and what matters most

Doing work that feels wrong:  Longing to reconnect with the “real me”—and do work they love

The call and the action—What managers and employers can do

The predominant male competitive career model has been, up until now, slow to recognize and respect women’s differences, especially of those who have children. The work landscape has changed dramatically, and despite the headlines that women are gaining headway in the workforce, this long-standing model has four key elements that no longer work and must be modified; these elements are:

--a bias for linear or continuous employment histories;

--an over-emphasis on “full-time” and “face-time;”

--the expectation or belief that “ambitious” professionals will be most committed in their 30s (when many women are having babies); and

--a guiding principle that money and power are primary motivators.

Now is the time to revise and reform this model. How? By expanding it with new thinking and initiatives that meet the needs of women today.

Significant reform is necessary in several key dimensions– including legal, organizational, cultural, and individual levels. To survive and thrive in a shifting workplace and complex business world, organizations must rise up and become constant, committed, and contemporary champions for women. I offer five key strategies for getting started:

1.  Embrace women as women.

An abundance of workplace research shows how and why women differ from men and contribute in unique and indispensable ways. It is time to recognize and honor these differences.

2.  Foster support.

Develop an internal support system for women. Create a woman-to-woman mentoring program, sponsor women-only networks, and initiate an ongoing forum for women to connect, converse, and collaborate.

3.  Train for growth and expansion.

Commit to training and development. Help women build new hard and soft skills through formal training programs and, wherever possible, one-on-one executive or leadership coaching.

4.  Focus on flexibility.

In consideration of weighty realities such as childcare and eldercare, implement new programs, policies, and procedures that foster optimal flexibility—telecommuting, flextime, job sharing, part-time offerings, and more.

5.   Measure efficacy.

Commit to regular and formalized assessment -- both quantitative and qualitative – of how ongoing initiatives to support women’s success impact key business measures such as recruitment, retention, engagement, productivity, profitably, wellness, and more.

The bottom line

Today, with a dramatically shifting workforce and do-or-die business environment, no employer can afford to ignore or overlook the unique needs and contributions of female talent. From the HR department to the executive suite, organizations must answer the call to action and support women in unprecedented new ways. Women individually must take charge of their own lives and careers to create breakthroughs that allow them to live and work as they truly want to, but for lasting positive change to be possible, employers and managers must do their part.

Kathy Caprino on what women can do when faced with any of The 12 Hidden Crises

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© 2010 Kathy Caprino

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