Editor’s Note

I assisted with a canned food drive prior to a very cold November football game at Appalachian State University. Go Mountaineers!

Several media sources in the last year have reported that many women are leaving the work force during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the reason for the mass exodus of women from their careers is cited as an increase of workload at both their job and at home, according to a Forbes report in mid-2021.

To come to its conclusion, Forbes uses research by Deloitte Global, which states that it’s an organization made up of a global network of independent firms. Deloitte Global stated that it conducted a survey of 5,000 working women across 10 countries to “hear directly from them about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the state of gender equality in the workplace.” From that survey, Deloitte Global found that 51% of women are less optimistic about their career prospects than before the pandemic.

Forbes states that Deloitte Global’s research found that “employers that give women the culture and support to enable them to succeed have a more productive and motivated workforce and are likely to report greater retention.”

Forbes cites that the top reason women are considering leaving their current employers is due to a lack of work-life balance. It seems we as a society are in a pivotal time for women in the workforce. We can only hope going forward that society moves in a positive direction not only for the financial stability of women and their families, but also for their overall wellness — including mental health and a home life.

In this business and holiday edition of All About Women, readers can enjoy stories about women working in financial services, the field of law and the local economy as it relates to business. We also delve into the winter season with topics such as women who snowboard, area Christmas shop owners and the leader of a major economic engine for the High Country — Christmas trees. Our columnists discuss holiday shopping, keeping the peace with family during the holidays as well as finance tips.

As we near the end of 2021, I hope we see improvement of the state of women in the workforce. We all deserve to be happy at work and at home. This edition has also inspired me to be more fiscally responsible while also getting me ready for the holiday season! Happy holidays, friends!