A survey conducted by the mental health organization MindNation and cited by a United Nations office advocating gender equality and women empowerment found that nearly half of Filipino female employees struggle with depression and anxiety in the workplace, while about seven in 10 find it more difficult to strike a balance between work and personal life compared to their male counterparts.
The survey, which had 15,000 employees as respondents, showed 45 percent of female employees had grappled with depression, anxiety, and a sense of emptiness, while 77 percent “experience significantly more difficulties” in achieving work-life balance compared to male employees.
Thirty eight percent of the women also said mental health challenges, particularly stress, slowed their productivity, and that they were losing an average of 15.5 hours per week due to mental health concerns.
Almost half blamed “financial pressure” for their mental health problems, and 31 percent reported suffering burnout due to lack of attention being given to their mental health. 24 percent of female employees also said they intended to resign from their job because of mental health issues.
A statement by UN Women Philippines cited the survey, saying the results pointed to an “alarming reality” in the workplace.
Lenlen Mesina, the UN program’s coordinator in the country, urged companies to address it by adopting “Women Empowerment Principles,” a roadmap for advancing gender equality and women empowerment in the workplace based on leadership, equality, safety, transparency, and continuous learning.
Niño Mateo, president of the Psychological Association of the Philippines, said it was “not surprising that female employees will report high levels of psychological distress given that they have always been expected to perform numerous tasks simultaneously,” including taking care of the family. “This is considering the unequal recognition and compensation they receive compared to men.”
Advancing gender equality and women empowerment is an ongoing process that needs to consider all concerns and perspectives, and that includes mental health, which is often related to women’s roles and expectations in society. If we are going to make our world better, or at least equal for women, the workplace is one area where many improvements can be made.*
