Why Tech Burnout Hits Women Harder—and How to Beat It

The tech industry, where women make up just 35% of the workforce as of 2023, faces a significant issue with burnout, which impacts women more severely than men.

If you’re a woman working in tech, you’ve probably experienced the exhaustion, stress, and overwhelming pressure to balance work and personal life. This isn’t just a passing thought; it’s their everyday reality.

In fact, 57% of women report experiencing burnout, according to the Women in Tech report. The problem is more than just a heavy workload. It’s the invisible labor, cultural biases, and limited advancement opportunities that slowly wear women down.

Here are 13 key reasons why burnout affects women more, along with actionable solutions to turn the tide. Ready for change? Let’s go.

Uncompensated Emotional and DE&I Labor

Women are often expected to take on emotional labor, such as mentoring, organizing team-building activities, and promoting inclusivity, on top of their regular work. This “invisible work” is usually unrecognized and unpaid, leading to emotional exhaustion.

Women in leadership roles are especially vulnerable, as they often take on much of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) efforts without formal recognition.

Solution: Companies should recognize and compensate emotional labor, including it in career advancement metrics and performance reviews.

The Burden of Invisible/Domestic Labor

Women in tech aren’t just managing demanding jobs; they’re also handling most, if not all, of the housework. According to a recent McKinsey and LeanIn.org report, 39% of women were overwhelmed by the mental load in 2024.

This lack of proper recovery time, paired with caregiving responsibilities, leads to chronic exhaustion.

Solution: Companies need to implement gender-neutral parental leave policies, offer flexible work hours, and encourage work-life integration. This way, women can balance both their careers and home lives without compromising their health or professional growth.

Digital Overload and the “Always-On” Culture

With the rise of remote work, the line between work and personal life is often blurred, leading to an “always-on” culture. The British Psychological Society notes that women in tech feel overwhelmed by digital communications and struggle to disconnect after hours.

This constant stream of messages, meetings, and tasks limits recovery time, contributing to burnout.

Solution: Companies should set clear work-life boundaries, discourage after-hours communication, and promote digital detox periods to help employees unwind and recharge.

Cultural Hostility and the Persistent “Bro Culture”

A shocking 72% of women in tech face some form of gender bias, from exclusion to microaggressions and being dismissed in meetings, as highlighted by TechJury.  

This toxic “bro culture” creates a sense of alienation and undermines women’s professional worth. The emotional toll of dealing with this hostility can lead to burnout.

Solution: Organizations need to enforce a zero-tolerance policy for harassment and conduct mandatory bias training. Mentorship programs for women to share experiences and support one another can also help combat these cultural challenges.

Microaggressions and the Efficacy Drain

Microaggressions, those subtle, everyday acts of bias, are a frequent experience for many women in tech. These acts often involve being interrupted in meetings or having their expertise questioned.

Over time, these small but constant disrespectful actions can erode confidence and hinder professional effectiveness.

Solution: Companies should provide training on cultural competence and active listening. Policies that ensure equal speaking time and acknowledgment of ideas can help foster a more inclusive and supportive work environment.

The Leadership Double Bind

Women leaders face a challenging balancing act: they’re expected to be warm and empathetic while also assertive and ambitious to be seen as effective. This double bind forces women to constantly adjust their emotional responses, leading to mental and emotional fatigue.

Solution: Organizations should encourage authentic leadership, allowing women to lead in their own style without the pressure to conform to gender stereotypes. Leadership training that embraces diverse leadership styles can support sustainable career growth for women.

Lack of Managerial Buffer and Support

One key factor in burnout is the lack of diverse leadership. Female managers report receiving less support than male managers in navigating workplace challenges, which undermines their effectiveness as leaders and mentors.

This suggests that female managers are more aware of the stress women face and offer better support.

Solution: Promoting women into leadership roles can reduce burnout by providing more empathetic leadership. Companies should prioritize increasing female representation in managerial positions.

Economic Inequity and the Gender Pay Gap

Even when women hold positions equivalent to those of their male counterparts, they earn less. The gender pay gap in tech is 16%, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

This economic inequality only adds to the stress women experience in their roles.  Knowing they’re underpaid for the same work erodes morale and contributes to burnout.

Solution: Companies need to conduct pay audits to ensure equal pay for equal work. Transparent pay structures and fair compensation policies are essential to fixing this issue.

Disproportionate Layoff Risk and Job Insecurity

During the 2022–2023 tech layoffs, women in tech were 69% more likely to be laid off, as noted by Entrepreneur, often due to lower seniority and fewer opportunities for advancement.

This increased layoff risk creates constant anxiety, making it hard for women to feel secure in their jobs.

Solution: Companies should adopt gender-sensitive layoff policies to prevent women from being unfairly targeted during downsizing. Job security should be a priority for women in tech.

Persistent Structural Barriers (The “Broken Rung”)

Women in tech often encounter the “broken rung,” a barrier that prevents them from advancing into managerial roles. As a result, they find themselves stuck in entry-level positions with few opportunities to advance.

This stagnation leaves them without the power to effect change, leading to frustration and burnout.

Solution: To fix this, companies should offer structured mentorship programs and ensure fair promotion practices. Giving women equal chances to advance will help them stay in the industry and reduce burnout.

The Age 35 Cliff

By age 35, half of all women in tech leave the sector, as noted by CNET. This is often because balancing demanding careers with family responsibilities becomes too difficult.

Losing mid-career women is a major setback for the industry, as it means losing experienced professionals who can drive innovation.

Solution: Companies should create returnship programs to help women re-enter the workforce after caregiving breaks. Offering flexible work options is also crucial for keeping women in the workforce for longer.

Waning Organizational Commitment to DEI

Over time, many companies have reduced their focus on gender diversity, which has led to toxic environments that undermine women’s sense of belonging. This lack of commitment to diversity fosters a culture that contributes directly to burnout.

Solution: Organizations need to reaffirm their commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) by implementing genuine cultural transformations.

They should also hold leadership accountable to ensure that diversity efforts go beyond surface-level changes and create lasting impact.

Inadequate Access to Mental Health Care

Many women in tech struggle to access mental health support through their employers. Without adequate mental health resources, the stress and burnout they experience often go unaddressed, making it harder for them to cope.

Solution: Companies should provide easily accessible, comprehensive mental health resources for all employees, with a focus on women in high-stress roles.

Conclusion

The evidence is clear—burnout among women in tech is driven by a mix of systemic issues, from caregiving burdens to toxic work cultures. While the challenges are significant, change is possible.

By addressing these burnout drivers with real solutions, tech companies can not only improve retention but also create healthier, more sustainable work environments for women.

Disclosure line: This article was developed with the assistance of AI and was subsequently reviewed, revised, and approved by our editorial team.

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