The Hidden Load: Addressing mental health challenges for women in leadership

In today's professional landscape, women in leadership roles are increasingly recognised for their contributions. However, they often carry an invisible burden—the mental load—that encompasses both professional responsibilities and societal expectations. This dual pressure can significantly impact their mental health, leading to stress and burnout.

The 'Mental Load' & its impact

The mental load refers to the cognitive effort involved in managing work tasks, household responsibilities, and emotional labor. For women leaders, this includes strategic decision-making, team management, and often, unacknowledged tasks like organising events or providing emotional support to colleagues. 

A 2025 study highlighted how women are disproportionately tasked with "invisible work"—duties that are essential to organisational functioning but often go unrecognised in performance evaluations, thereby impeding career advancement and increasing stress levels. 

Research indicates that individuals are 44% more likely to ask women, rather than men, to undertake low-reward, high-effort tasks that don't lead to promotions or career progression. Moreover, women often feel compelled to accept these tasks due to societal expectations, and declining such requests can result in negative perceptions, whereas men face no such repercussions. 

Two additional statistics that shed light on this issue:

1. Burnout Rates Among Women: A 2021 report by McKinsey & Company and LeanIn.Org found that 42% of women reported feeling consistently burned out at work, compared to 35% of men. This disparity is attributed to the additional responsibilities women often shoulder, both professionally and personally. ​Time

   
   

2. Impact of Financial Stress: A study focusing on Black women in the workplace revealed that financial stressors—such as the cost of living, household bills, and credit card debt—significantly interfere with their ability to focus at work and hinder career advancement.

Statistical insights

• In Australia, 46% of women report experiencing depression, and 41% report anxiety, with 80% believing that employers could do more to support mental health in the workplace. ​Liptember Foundation

  
  

• In Europe, a survey found that workers' mental health has declined, with 38% at high risk of poor mental health, particularly among women. ​euronews

  
  

Voices from leadership

A notable voice in leadership addressing these challenges is Jennifer Westacott, Chancellor of Western Sydney University. She has emphasised the importance of structural changes, such as improved access to childcare and parental leave, to support women in leadership roles. Westacott advocates for leadership targets over quotas to ensure women not only attain but also succeed in executive positions.

Christine Lagarde, President of the European Central Bank, highlights the importance of transparency and data-driven decision-making in leadership, especially amidst global economic uncertainties. ​

Policy & support initiatives

Governments are beginning to recognize the need for targeted support:​

• In Australia, the "Working for Women" program provides grants to enhance women's pathways into leadership roles, aiming to increase diversity and representation. ​

• The WHO European Region has launched initiatives to strengthen mental health systems, focusing on policy development, service accessibility, and stigma reduction. ​World Health Organization (WHO)

Addressing the mental load and supporting the mental health of women in leadership is not just a matter of equity but also of organisational effectiveness. By acknowledging the unique challenges faced by women leaders and implementing supportive policies, workplaces can build environments where all leaders succeed.

Footnotes

1. McKinsey & Company & LeanIn.Org (2021). Women in the Workplace 2021 Report. Retrieved from https://leanin.org/women-in-the-workplace/2021

2. RAFT Cares. (2023). The Non-Promotable Task Trap. Retrieved from https://www.raftcares.org/resources/community-blog/non-promotable-task

3. Paradigm for Parity. (2024). The Invisible Weight: How Financial Stress Affects Black Women’s Careers. Retrieved from https://paradigm4parity.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/THE-INVISIBLE-WEIGHT_04SEP_-FINAL.pdf

4. The Daily Telegraph. (2024, March 27). Top Aussie executive: ‘We are not talking to working Australians in a respectful way – we will pay a high price for that.’ Interview with Jennifer Westacott. Retrieved from https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/top-aussie-executive-we-are-not-talking-to-working-australians-in-a-respectful-way-we-will-pay-a-high-price-for-that/news-story/b6ba3234361d78bcd738e30349d46042