In South Africa, working women are increasingly at risk of experiencing toxic stress — a serious and prolonged form of stress that can have significant impacts on their health and well-being.
Balancing the demands of work and home life can be overwhelming and for many women, this constant pressure is taking a toll on them.
What is toxic stress?
Toxic stress occurs when someone experiences continuous, intense stress without adequate support or coping mechanisms. Unlike regular stress, which can be temporary and manageable, toxic stress is persistent and can lead to serious health problems.
This type of stress can impact both mental and physical health, leading to issues such as anxiety, depression, high blood pressure and weakened immune function.
Why are South African working women more at risk?
Many South African women are not only managing demanding jobs but also taking on significant responsibilities at home.
Whether it’s looking after children, caring for elderly family members or handling household chores, the multiple roles they juggle can lead to chronic stress.
In some workplaces, there is a lack of support for women dealing with stress. Long working hours, high job demands, and inadequate work-life balance contribute to the problem.
Women may also face gender discrimination and unequal pay, which can add to their stress levels.
Furthermore, women may not always have access to support systems such as affordable childcare, mental health services, or flexible working arrangements. This lack of support can make it harder for them to manage stress effectively.
According to Professor Renata Schoeman, who heads the MBA in Healthcare Leadership at Stellenbosch Business School, women’s stress levels have been on the rise, even with increased awareness and efforts to address corporate mental health following the Covid-19 pandemic.
Despite these efforts, stigmas around workplace mental health continue to linger, contributing to a persistent issue.
Chronic stress can lead to or worsen mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and mood disorders. It can also result in burnout, a state of extreme physical and emotional exhaustion.
The World Health Organization has even classified burnout as an exclusively work-related phenomenon due to its root cause being chronic workplace stress.
Schoeman points out that while burnout levels among women have gradually decreased since the pandemic, the 2024 Deloitte Women@Work survey, which includes data from South Africa, reveals concerning trends.
The survey found that half of the women surveyed reported an increase in their stress levels over the past year. Additionally, 50% of respondents expressed concerns about their mental health, and a third had taken time off work due to mental health challenges.
A significant issue is that many women feel they lack adequate mental health support at work. According to the survey, two-thirds of women are hesitant to disclose their mental health struggles due to fears about career progression, discrimination, job security, and negative experiences from past disclosures.
The Deloitte survey also highlights the impact of overtime work on stress levels. One in five women works overtime, which not only heightens stress but also negatively affects motivation and productivity.
The survey found that only 25% of women who regularly worked extra hours rated their mental health as “good”, compared to 50% of those who worked only their contracted hours.
Moreover, issues such as workplace harassment and discrimination further exacerbate stress. The Deloitte report reveals that 10% of women experience harassment during their commute, while 43% face harassment and micro-aggressions at work.
Despite these challenges, more than a third of women choose not to report these incidents for fear of jeopardising their careers.
What can employers do?
Create psychological safety, together with an environment in which mental health problems are not stigmatised and mental well-being is supported.
Raise awareness and educate employees about stress, the “red flags” of mental health difficulties, ways to manage it and the dangers of unaddressed stress.
Establish accommodating workplace practices and family-friendly policies that enhance work-life boundaries and enable women to fulfil their other roles (e.g. childcare, parental care, and household chores) while also being able to tend to self-care.
Ensure that supervisors and employee wellness programmes are aware of the warning signs of distress and possible mental health difficulties.
Encourage women to access professional support without fear of discrimination.
Eradicate unsafe and non-inclusive workplace environments where women fear for their physical safety and experience harassment and bullying, with zero-tolerance policies.
What can women do?
Women need to be active participants in their own health through self-care, seek social support and access professional intervention when needed.
Regular, moderate exercise, getting enough sleep and a nutritious diet, in combination with mindful eating, is as important in combating stress.