Women have made their way into the workforce after many hard-fought battles, but the work of securing their position doesn’t appear to be done. Over 450,000 women were found leaving the workforce this year, according to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. The rise of unemployment among women in 2025 is evident, but the problem isn’t one that is easy to address with a simple tweak. A variety of factors appear to be at play, and many of them have to do with the shifting trends that are dominating the workplace.
From the emergence of an increasing number of RTO policies to the resurgence of hustle culture, there are numerous reasons why women are leaving corporate life, particularly those with young children to care for. The polarizing conversations surrounding these trends may also have something to do with their decision to forego corporate life.
Understanding why women are leaving the workforce may help make changes to benefit all employees equally and improve retention. (Image: Pexels)
Why Are Women Leaving the Workforce and What Can We Do To Reel Them Back In?
The New Yorker recently released an op-ed asking readers, “Did women ruin the workplace?” The question was an unwelcome one, and the page knew it, quickly cycling through other alternative titles for the piece to make peace with its readers once more. A slew of other articles have since made their way onto the internet, addressing the banality of the question and providing better explanations for the shifts in the workplace that modern-era structures have not caught up to yet.
The decline of DEI policies this year similarly reflects the trends that have begun to reshape the workplaces, with businesses stepping back from committing to any support towards diversity-based initiatives. While it might be easy to assume that the withdrawal of DEI policies is the sole reason for women leaving the workforce in large numbers, the problem is considerably more complex. Most women have come to expect resistance to their presence in the workforce, and are aware of how their requests for pay parity will be met at work.
Despite this, many seek out an education and make up a significant number of the hopeful candidates on the job market, looking for work. A large number of them have successfully worked their way up to positions of power, with the latest reports suggesting that they oversee 11% of Fortune 500 companies in 2025. While the number still remains lower than expected, there is progress to be seen among the most powerful businesses that operate today.
Why Are Some Women in the Workforce Making an Exit? The Motherhood Penalty Strikes Again
There are several reasons why women leave corporate life. For one, the motherhood penalty continues to be a problem in many careers, where women who want to participate in the workforce have to put their careers on hold for their family. Many women return to their workplace after giving birth, but opportunities remain limited despite their enthusiasm for their jobs.
In some cases, the lack of sufficient parental support forces them to quit and wait out the initial phase of their parenting role. Unfortunately, the break in their employment history causes a further decline in their chances of finding work. Deloitte’s Women @ Work 2025 survey found that only 4 in 10 women have workplace benefits that support paid carers’ leave or flexibility to take time off for unexpected caring commitments. Of those who have childcare responsibilities, less than 2 in 10 have access to affordable care.
RTO Policies Complicate Employment Prospects for Women
In 2025, the rise of return-to-work mandates has also complicated matters, with many women forced to choose between their work and their families. Despite their talent, qualification, and experience, a full-time return to work remains out of reach, with the high price of childcare and caregiver costs weighing on them.
Many trends like the rise of “trad-wife” content have also encouraged a return to home-bound caregiving roles, likely a direct result of the growing concerns surrounding declining birth rates from around the world. The “soft girl culture” is another example of women exiting corporate life, but many are choosing to build career paths outside of desk jobs. The shift in narrative has begun to edge many women out of the workplace, despite a desire to keep working and reaching for fiscal independence.
The Resurgence of “Hustle Culture” Is Collectively Difficult for All Employees
Many women are leaving the workforce due to the rising pressures at work that make it difficult to make time for their private lives. Most women are no strangers to hustling, having spent a large part of their professional lives also balancing caregiver responsibilities. This isn’t exclusively an issue for women but for the workforce at large. The 996 trend and hustle culture that is making a comeback wasn’t effective the first time around, and it is important to remember the progress that has been made over the last few years in setting boundaries between work and personal life.
Gen Z workers are leading with their demands for a healthy work-life balance despite their struggles with identifying willing employers. Addressing this demand is also beneficial for all employees collectively. While they don’t exist as a monolith, female workers make for empathetic, patient colleagues, and their role in the workplace cannot be overlooked. The International Labour Organisation’s data suggest that women make up 50.1% of the working-age population. There is a considerable amount of talent available that could be channeled into workplace growth.
Accommodating women in the workplace may be labelled as a part of an agenda, however, changes that are made to support women at work can largely be applied to all employees. Flexibility, support, and empathy in the workplace improve the employee experiences across roles and seniority levels. Acknowledging their voluntary presence at work and desire to grow in their careers as individuals rather than representatives of their community may have to be the first step in addressing the state of employment today.
Supporting Women In the Workforce: A Little Goes A Long Way
The 2000s “girl boss” era was a defining moment for women with ambition, and while the term may have faded out of use, the attitude of working hard for a future remains alive. Instead of asking the question of whether women ruined the workplace, we might perhaps be better served by exploring ways in which all those who enter the workplace can coexist successfully. With the pursuit of AI and automation, all workers are unitedly at risk of losing their jobs to technology.
Caregiver support and leave are beneficial for fathers and mothers in equal measure, allowing new parents to get to know their children. It alternatively allows childfree workers to care for their parents. Deloitte’s survey also found that 6 in 10 women believe equal paid parental leave for both parents is important, but only 6% of them have such benefits available from their employers. Assistance within the workplace can take on many forms, from paid leave to access to childcare facilities. Workers who feel supported by the organization are more inclined to perform well in their careers and protect their jobs, increasing workplace engagement significantly.
Employees might roll their eyes at their employers calling their workers family, but most tend to appreciate active action towards building a community at work. Inclusivity policies are making a comeback despite the death of DEI, and this change can go a long way in making workplaces feel safer and more welcoming for all employees coming to work.
Why do you think women are leaving the workplace, and what can organizations do to retain them? Share your thoughts with us. Subscribe to The HR Digest for more insights on workplace trends, layoffs, and what to expect with the advent of AI.