Forbes: the pandemic has derailed women’s equity.

We’ve seen the numbers. Millions of women have left the workforce since February 2020. Some suffered layoffs in customer-facing jobs and other roles affected by the lockdown. Others made the difficult decision to leave on their own accord, to care for children or elderly parents.

The result is that women accounted for 55% of the net job loss during the pandemic. One year has undone decades of progress. In fact, if working mothers who left their jobs for family duties don’t return to the workforce, it could lead to an economic loss of $64.5 billion per year.

“It is clear that women have been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic,” writes Rebecca Henderson, executive board member and CEO of Global Businesses at Randstad. ”While efforts to revitalize our economy are just starting, it is important that women are accounted for and supported.”

The Biden Administration has taken steps toward equity by creating The White House Gender Policy Council. The Council is tasked to advance gender equality in an effort to reduce poverty, promote economic growth, increase access to education, improve health outcomes and more.

However, businesses must also play a role by offering progressive work-family policies that support women’s multifaceted role in society. “As we move forward, employers and government agencies can work together to help millions of women re-enter the labor force and reverse the effects the pandemic has had on women’s workforce progress,” writes Henderson.

Read Henderson’s full article in Forbes for more insights on how we can get back on track. You can also visit the Randstad Sourceright diversity and inclusion Insights stream for more resources on building a diverse workforce.