According to Deloitte’s report, about 37% of women still report that they have experienced exclusion while hybrid working in the past year (versus 58% last year). Illustrative photo.

New to the report this year, the research also explores how women’s health issues impact their working lives. One in five women report experiencing health challenges related to menstruation or menopause. Many say they work through the pain and discomfort, at least in part due to a persistent stigma around these topics.

“While our research shows some glimpses of improvement for women in the workplace over the past year, it also illuminates the work that remains,” says Emma Codd, Deloitte Global Inclusion Leader. “We’re seeing a worsening picture when it comes to critical workplace aspects, such as mental health support. And the vast majority of respondents do not believe that their employer is taking concrete steps to deliver on its commitments to gender equality. Employers need to go beyond setting goals and policies and consistently foster a more inclusive and respectful work environment where all women are able to succeed.”

"As Southeast Asia continues to strive for gender equality, the findings from Deloitte’s Women @ Work survey remind us that there is still much work to be done. We must prioritise promoting flexible work arrangements, addressing mental health support, and creating inclusive environments where women can thrive. Only then can we truly empower women in the workplace and beyond," says Seah Gek Choo, Deloitte Southeast Asia Talent Leader and SheXO Program Leader.

“Despite the recent shift towards hybrid working models in Southeast Asia, many organisations still struggle to provide the necessary flexibility in working hours, especially for women. As workplace flexibility is a crucial factor in women's career decisions, it is imperative for organisations to not only offer flexible working policies but also create an environment where women feel empowered to use them. This is essential for organisations to remain competitive in today's talent landscape,” shares Gek Choo.

She adds, "Moreover, traditional cultural beliefs and mindsets of communities within the region have led to unique challenges in addressing workplace mental health. Employers must prioritise championing mental health at the workplace, reducing stigma, and creating a safe and inclusive environment. This includes implementing policies and providing resources to support mental health for every employee. At Deloitte, for example, we’ve implemented a holistic ‘empowered well-being’ approach that provides our people with the resources to support their mental well-being, as well as educating our people to promote a stigma-free work environment.”

Flexibility underpins career choices

This year’s report reinforced flexibility as a critical expectation for women and a top factor in their career decisions. Yet less than a quarter of women surveyed say they have a high degree of flexibility over where and when they work, and lack of flexibility around working hours is one of the top three reasons cited by women who left an employer in the past year.

There is a correlation between flexibility and employer loyalty, with two-thirds of women in highly flexible work arrangements saying they plan to stay with their company for more than three years, compared to only 19% of women who have no flexibility. But many women don’t feel comfortable taking advantage of flexible work options—97% believe requesting or taking advantage of flexible working would affect their likelihood of promotion, and 95% believe it is unlikely their workload would be adjusted accordingly if they moved to a flexible working arrangement.

About a third of women surveyed say they have experienced a lack of predictability in working hours in hybrid arrangements and did not have enough flexibility in their working pattern. And while experiences with hybrid work have improved this year with fewer women saying they’ve been excluded from meetings, 37% of women still report that they have experienced exclusion while hybrid working in the past year (versus 58% last year), and nearly a third say that they don’t have enough exposure to senior leaders (versus 45% last year). While this represents some progress, there is clearly still cause for concern.

The greatest responsibility for household tasks

In addition to their paid work, women still bear most of the responsibility for domestic work at home. These trends are more pervasive for women in ethnic minority groups, who are more likely to do the majority of the domestic work.

Further, more than a third of women say they feel the need to prioritise their partner’s career over their own, often because their partner earns more money. More than two-thirds of women say their partner is the primary earner. However, even among women who are the primary earner, almost one in five still say they have to prioritise their partner’s career over their own. This may contribute to a cycle that diminishes women’s chances of earning more.

Poor mental health and experiences of non-inclusive behaviours persist

Similar to the 2022 research, mental health remains a top concern for working women. While respondents report a slight improvement in mental well-being and fewer women say they feel burned out compared to last year (28% versus 46%), only 37% rate their ability to switch off from work as “good,” declining from 45% last year. Meanwhile, the stigma around workplace mental health continues to exist, as only a quarter of respondents feel comfortable discussing mental health in the workplace—a significant decline from 43% in the last report. And many don’t feel they get adequate mental health support from their employers. These issues are particularly prominent among women from underrepresented groups, who are more likely to report feeling burned out and are less likely to feel comfortable discussing mental health in the workplace.

Alongside these challenges, broader societal issues are impacting women. Nearly six in 10 (59%) respondents say they are very/extremely concerned about women’s rights, making it their top concern, followed by financial security (58%), mental and physical health (both at 56%), and personal safety (54%). LGBT women are more likely to be concerned about women’s rights, while women in ethnic minority groups are more likely to be concerned about their financial security.

More than four in 10 (44%) women report experiencing harassment and/or microaggressions. Though this is a decline from last year’s 59%, these numbers are still far too high, and more than half of women who experienced these behaviors did not feel comfortable reporting it to their employers. Concerningly, LGBT women (76%) and women in ethnic minority groups (53%) experienced more non-inclusive behaviors in the last 12 months.

Many are struggling in silence

Many of the world’s working women are experiencing health challenges related to menstruation and menopause. Among them, more than 40% report working through pain or symptoms related to menstruation and 20% work through symptoms related to menopause.

When asked about benefits employers can offer to support women, more than half of respondents said they believe employers should offer paid leave for women experiencing health challenges related to menstruation and menopause. However less than a third said their employer currently offers paid leave related to menstrual symptoms and only one in five offer paid leave for menopause symptoms.

Gender Equality Leader organisations keep getting it right

This is the third year Deloitte’s research has identified a group of “Gender Equality Leaders,” organisations that, according to the women surveyed, have created genuinely inclusive cultures that support their careers, work/life balance, and foster inclusion. Women who work for Gender Equality Leaders are more engaged and have higher levels of well-being and job satisfaction. Not only are they more likely to benefit from high levels of support and better hybrid experiences, but they report feeling more connected to their employer and far more motivated and productive at work. The women who work for these organisations experience three common factors: all feel comfortable reporting non-inclusive behaviors; all feel supported by their employers on work/life balance; and all believe their career is progressing as fast as they would like.

“Just five percent of women view their employers as leaders in gender equality, which should be a wake-up call that significant action is still needed,” says Michele Parmelee, Deloitte Global Deputy CEO and Chief People and Purpose Officer. “Women are a vital cohort in the workforce, and our data shows that when organisations prioritise improving women’s experiences in the workplace, they are more engaged, more productive, and they want to stay with their employers longer. It's not only the right thing to do, but it’s a win-win for leaders to cultivate an inclusive culture where all women are set up to thrive.”