Another woman head of government resigned last week. Nicola Sturgeon, who was Scotland’s longest-serving first minister, announced her resignation, citing the “brutality” of political life. She became the second high-profile female politician in the last month to cite exhaustion when standing down. A few weeks before her, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also resigned, stating that she no longer had “enough in the tank.” Both women were powerful, visible figures and exhibited leadership during difficult times. But despite being popular, their ratings slipped among voters toward the end of their tenures. Nevertheless, their announcements both came as a surprise. The reaction and comments following Ardern’s resignation commended her courage and honesty at admitting exhaustion and knowing when to step down. Many commentaries, opinion articles and studies appeared thereafter on social networks that talked about burnout — a state of emotional, mental and often physical exhaustion brought on by prolonged or repeated stress — and the mental health of employees in reacting to and facing stress and pressure, which in turn can lead to other health problems. Several studies have indicated that all employees face an increased susceptibility to stress and burnout, especially post-pandemic, but the risk is disproportionately high for women. According to research on mental well-being, women are 23 percent more likely than men to struggle with a poor work-life balance and are 45 percent more likely to suffer from work stress. This is not a call against women employment and leadership. On the contrary, it is an alarm bell on the need to address the societal structures and gender norms that are identified as factors in the increased risk of burnout for women. Women still bear most of the housework, childcare and family commitments in addition to their jobs, and the stress for female-headed households is even greater. These tasks and chores are unpaid, as well as underappreciated and rarely even acknowledged. All employees face an increased susceptibility to stress and burnout, especially post-pandemic, but the risk is disproportionately high for women Maha Akeel Employees in general hide their struggles with stress for fear of affecting their career. This is particularly true for women, who often overwork to prove an equal level of competence with their male peers or choose to be invisible to lessen the stress. Meanwhile, according to a recent study by McKinsey, women leaders are leaving companies at a higher rate than men, not because they are less ambitious than their male colleagues, but because they face headwinds that signal discrimination, bias and belittling. They also prefer companies that prioritize flexibility, employee well-being and diversity, equality and inclusion. Another study by Deloitte also points to stress, burnout and limited advancement opportunities as driving women away from their employers at higher rates than previously. In addition to gender discrimination, women also face other forms of discrimination — such as age, race and disability — that affect their job opportunities, promotions and overall job satisfaction. Furthermore, women have different styles of leadership to men, whether in interacting with their staff, making decisions or managing situations, which could be just as effective or even better for outcomes and productivity. Yet, most often women are expected to act and think like a man and could face criticism and judgment by the male-dominated workplace, not to mention harassment. In Saudi Arabia, as more women enter the workforce and take up leadership positions, more policies of inclusion, diversity and equality should be implemented. A recent Gallup poll showed that more Saudis, 24 percent in 2022 compared to 11 percent in 2019, are actively looking for a new job, in addition to the 48 percent in 2022 compared to 30 percent in 2019 who are not actively seeking but are open to new opportunities. Although the percentage of those who strongly agree that they are paid appropriately declined slightly from 2019 (43 percent) to 2022 (38 percent), the percentage of those who strongly agree that there are sufficient growth opportunities (from 52 percent to 44 percent) was significantly lower. And less than half (40 percent) strongly agree that their current employer offers good opportunities for development and training. Although the study did not provide gender disaggregated data, the findings are telling. The study indicated that more than half of employees in Saudi Arabia report that they have felt burned out in the last month due to work-related stress, with this burnout increasing from 55 percent in 2019 to 57 percent in 2022, affecting not only work but also family life. Last month, Saudi Arabia announced the adoption of its national policy to encourage equal opportunities and treatment in employment and occupation, which aims to eliminate all forms of discrimination, including those based on gender, race, ethnicity, age or disability. This is an important step in setting the principles, guidelines and policies that address the underlying causes of burnout. Not only for the sake of retaining female talent, but for the sake of all employees, managers must recognize the signs of burnout and implement policies that offer support — emotional and mental — as well as mentoring, coaching and other ways to help workers cope because burnout affects performance and the quality of work. Creating a healthy and inclusive work environment and culture is conducive to creativity and productivity. Maha Akeel is a Saudi writer based in Jeddah. Twitter: @MahaAkeel1 Disclaimer: Views expressed by writers in this section are their own and do not necessarily reflect Arab News" point of view