35% Men Started Contributing More Time To Household Chores Post Pandemic: Survey

In India, 35 per cent of men have begun contributing more time to household chores after the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new survey. The development is seen to go a long way in smashing stereotypes and helping to bridge gender balance at workplaces.

A study by Avtar on chore division and dynamics in Indian households reveals a 22 per cent rise in the number of men who spent 4-5 hours performing chores at their homes. This rise in number is largely because of the growing hybrid work model and a large number of people working out of their homes, the study said. It revealed that the burden of household chores, which otherwise was the sole responsibility of women, is now getting divided.

Inequalities Still Stark

More than 300 professionals (43 per cent from metro cities, and 57 per cent from tier-2 & -3 locations) were surveyed on their contribution to the ubiquitous 3Cs of cooking, cleaning, and caring. However, the inequalities are still quite stark, especially for working women. There is also an unequal distribution of time spent on household chores among double-income couples. Among married people, 33 per cent of women spent 4-5 hours on such activities versus 3 per cent men. Age demographics have a significant role to play. Nearly 83 per cent of the Gen Y population spend equal time (2-3 hours) in household chores and their partners. However, only 56 per cent of Gen X spend the same time in such activities, which were shared equally with their partners, The Times of India reported.

Organisations have a role in ensuring household chores get equally shared between partners. "To foster a culture of allyship, organisations must inspire their employees to be allies in all spheres of their lives. And what could be the better time to do this than the post-COVID business recovery time, when the learnings of our lives are still fresh with us," Avtar founder-president Saundarya Rajesh said.

Workshops And Aggressive Sensitisation

Allyship is a culture several organisations are building to beat gender stereotypes through workshops and aggressive sensitisation. Ruchi Bhalla, country head & VP HR (APAC) at logistics tech firm Pitney Bowes, said, "The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all of us in one way or the other in various ways. It has also helped in increasing awareness regarding 'power of allies' and the role organisations play to amplify allyship and inclusion. Many women find it tough to re-pivot their careers and claim their right to step out of their house to do jobs. Households have become dependent on women being around.

Bhalla said that the organisations can practise allyship through coaching leaders and people managers to sensitise them to foster an organization-wide commitment and proactive approach to building an inclusive work culture. "Allies need to be aware of the role that they can play on a daily basis to make a difference, be it in office or home. It's about letting people know that organisations recognise them as a whole-parents, caregivers, spouses beyond their role as employees," Bhalla said.

"We support people who bring their full selves to work and so we are focused to make people more sensitive at their workplace, which can translate to their home lives. Building a network of strong male allies enables the institution to tap into the true potential of a diverse talent base," Aditya Mittal, interim CHRO of Citi India said. Inclusive-hiring manager workshops, unconscious bias training, and respect at work are held frequently at Citi for all employees to build an inclusive culture. In these workshops, the examples provided extend beyond work scenarios, creating awareness around unconscious everyday life biases.

31% Gen Y Men Share Equal Work

As per Avtar report, 31 per cent of Gen Y men reported around equal load-sharing at homes, with them spending 2-5 hours on the household work along with their partners. Nearly 91 per cent of the people having kids said that the workload is not gender-specific in their homes. Post-pandemic, with the divide between work and home, and growing awareness on intentional inclusion, Avtar anticipates that the dynamics in chore division in households across the country are shifting slowly towards the more gender-equal territory.

"Inclusive companies that offer creative solutions to further gender parity at work have witnessed a surge in the women's workforce participation. Now when India is limping back to normal post-pandemic, the Omicron variant is posing a new threat. Today, the country is in dire need of a gender-positive recovery. We need new policies and systems to include men in discussions to boost gender parity at workplaces," Rajesh said.

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