Overwhelming Majority Of Women Skip Jobs Due To Caregiving Duties: Report

Caregiving responsibilities continue to influence how women approach employment opportunities, with many choosing flexibility and work-life balance over higher pay, according to a report by Indeed.

The report found that 83 per cent of women surveyed had skipped applying for certain jobs because they believed balancing work and family responsibilities would be difficult. The findings underline how unpaid caregiving work continues to affect women’s participation in the workforce and their career decisions.

The respondents included working mothers, women on career breaks, and those who had returned to work after a break from, cities such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, and Kolkata.

Flexibility Emerges As A Key Workplace Priority

Flexible work arrangements are becoming one of the most important factors for women when evaluating jobs. Around 53 per cent have said that flexible work hours were their top priority while choosing a role, while 48 per cent preferred hybrid or remote work options.

According to the findings, many women are also willing to compromise on salary for better work-life balance. Nearly 8 in 10 respondents said they would either accept lower pay or consider doing so if a job offered greater flexibility. Of these, 45 per cent said they would accept reduced pay directly, while another 34 per cent said they may consider it.

The report has found out that working mothers particularly valued hybrid and remote work arrangements. About 37 per cent of respondents identified hybrid or remote work as the workplace change that would make the biggest difference for working mothers.

Office Attendance Rules Affect Hiring Decisions

The findings also suggested that stricter office attendance requirements are increasingly affecting women’s willingness to pursue jobs.

More than 51 per cent of respondents said they had turned down a job interview or offer because of office attendance expectations. The report indicated that as more companies return to office-based working models, mandatory attendance requirements are becoming a major concern for women balancing caregiving responsibilities.

Full-time office mandates were identified as the biggest deterrent in job descriptions, cited by 37 per cent of respondents. Another 34 per cent said lack of flexibility in job roles discouraged them from applying.

Employers Asked To Provide Greater Clarity

Commenting in the report, Sashi Kumar, Managing Director, Indeed India, said women continue to remain ambitious but are increasingly selective about roles that fit caregiving responsibilities.

The report also found that 59 per cent of respondents believed workplace flexibility has genuinely improved career opportunities for mothers in recent years, while another 30 per cent said it had helped to some extent.

Flexible schedules, remote work options, and clearer job expectations are becoming important factors in attracting and retaining women employees.