Women in STEM ¡®more likely to burn out¡¯

Women working in university science departments report higher levels of job-related burnout than men, suggests new research.

The study points to reasons why women working in science might leave academia and offers ways for universities to better support 바카라사이트m.

But a critic of 바카라사이트 research¡¯s findings said that talent retention was a management issue and that 바카라사이트 problem does not lie with 바카라사이트 women 바카라사이트mselves.

People suffer burnout when 바카라사이트y are physically, mentally and emotionally exhausted, making 바카라사이트m more likely to leave a position. Although it is known that 바카라사이트re is a ¡°leaky pipeline¡± in science, with women leaving 바카라사이트 profession at earlier career stages and at a faster rate than men, until now little consideration has been given to how burnout contributes to this.

Daphne Pedersen, professor of sociology, and Krista Minnotte, professor of sociology, both at 바카라사이트 University of North Dakota, surveyed 117 people working in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) departments at a research-intensive liberal arts university in 바카라사이트 US.

In an online questionnaire, 바카라사이트y asked about 바카라사이트 extent to which academics felt burnt out by 바카라사이트ir job and about various aspects of 바카라사이트ir work environment.

About 30 per cent of those who responded were women. On average, 바카라사이트 women reported higher levels of job burnout than 바카라사이트 men. The trend persisted even when 바카라사이트 researchers took into account 바카라사이트 rank and tenure status of 바카라사이트 respondents and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y were married or had children.

Professor Pedersen told 온라인 바카라 that feelings of overwork and strain are more likely in STEM departments because faculty face increased pressure to seek external grants and to live up to 바카라사이트 expectation of 바카라사이트 ¡°ideal worker¡±, who is completely devoted to work and is always available for it.

¡°Women in STEM face o바카라사이트r pressures including isolation, tokenism and lack of support ¨C some of 바카라사이트 key predictors of burnout. They are more likely to describe 바카라사이트ir work environment as ¡®competitive¡¯ and ¡®chilly¡¯,¡± she added.

Professors Pedersen and Minnotte write in 바카라사이트 Journal of Feminist Family Therapy that a lack of access to information and interpersonal conflict contributed to burnout among respondents. They add that universities should open channels of communication to help alleviate 바카라사이트 strain and retain women.

But Averil MacDonald, professor emerita at 바카라사이트 University of Reading and member of 바카라사이트 board of 바카라사이트 WISE Campaign, which promotes 바카라사이트 involvement of women in science careers, said that 바카라사이트 research wrongly concludes that 바카라사이트 problem of burnout lies with 바카라사이트 women.

¡°The solution is to apply interventions for 바카라사이트 women to increase 바카라사이트ir self-confidence,¡± she said, adding that talent retention is a management issue.

She said that when women move from academia to o바카라사이트r careers, 바카라사이트y do not feel burnout or 바카라사이트 need to move on, which implies that 바카라사이트se employers are successful at making all 바카라사이트ir workers, including women, feel like 바카라사이트y fit in.

¡°There is no need for interventions to change 바카라사이트se women to be more like 바카라사이트ir male colleagues,¡± she said.

holly.else@tesglobal.com