The Cost of Loneliness:
Women, Work & The Invisible Force That’s Undermining Them As They Rise
“Addressing the crisis of loneliness and isolation is one of our generation’s greatest challenges. By building more connected lives and more connected communities,
we can strengthen the foundation of our individual and collective well-being..."
- Dr. Vivek H. Murthy, Surgeon General of the United States
TheLi.st, Berlin Cameron, and Benenson Strategy Group teamed up on new research to find the hidden cost of loneliness for women at work.
So, what greets female and underrepresented leaders at the top?
53% of women report feeling a sense of loneliness because of their job driven by isolation, lack of support and being unable to be their true selves at work.
The solution, is simple, but hard to realize—meaningful togetherness through mentorship and community.
Nearly 70% of women say they feel unsupported and 51% feel isolated at work.
The feelings of loneliness or isolation INCREASED as women climb the ranks
(men report their loneliness or isolation DECREASED the further they’ve gone in their careers.)
It can be very lonely at the top, but if you surround yourself with people that you trust who are giving you honest feedback and helping to amplify your ideas too, that's Great.”
-Tech, CEO
“…it was having a woman who cared about my growth and development, who asked me questions about what I wanted to do, where I wanted to be, what was my next step in my career...that was what was most important to me.”
—Non-profit, Executive Director
40% of senior-level women feel that the challenges at work go beyond reasonable expectations.
40% of women feel that their company does not help them succeed.
And 53% of working women have declined a promotion, quit a job or quit working altogether because of negative effects on their personal life.
Here's what else we uncovered:
Other ambition penalties that women face:
2/3 of senior-level women say work combined with responsibilities at home is leaving them burnt out, stressed and overwhelmed
Nearly half of women say their relationships with friends and family have suffered because of work demands.
For women of color the loneliness is compounded by a lack of respect.
Only 19% of women of color are very happy/satisfied with their overall career as it stands today, compared to 30% of white women.
27% of women of color do not feel respected or supported by those who report to them, with 19% of white women feeling the same way.
Only one-in-five women of color strongly agree that they feel respected at work, compared to over a third of white women.
Mentorship and community are hard to find, but both are key to solving the problem.
Almost 30% of senior-level women feel like they don’t have anyone to talk to about work.
35% of senior-level women don’t consider themselves part of a community.
65% of senior-level women do not currently have a mentor or advisor, but 43% of them wish they did.
60% of women of color want a mentor or advisor but don’t currently have one.
