Less fear, more power: sociologists have identified the “Pulse of Women’s Well-Being”
28 April 09:42
Ukrainian women’s readiness for greater responsibility, on the one hand, and the many challenges associated with it, on the other, are evidenced by the third wave of the Women’s Wellbeing Pulse survey conducted by Gradus Research and Biaseless, informs
Increased stress and increased workload
During the survey, 47% of respondents reported an increase in stress levels. This figure has increased by 8% over the past 2 years. Deterioration in health is reported by 45% of women, compared to 39% last year.
Emotional burnout was reported by 39% of respondents, but only 3% receive adequate psychological support. This is due to an increased workload, in particular, due to health care for 52%, household chores for 41%, and family care for 32%.
At the same time, more and more women have been able to adapt to such conditions – 60% of women manage to combine work and personal life, which is 10% higher than last year. The study also showed that almost half of women are ready for career growth and leadership roles at work.
What hinders career growth
The main factors lacking for professional fulfillment are peace, as indicated by 49% of women, and economic stability, by 40%. If we take into account personal factors that depend on the individual, women lack
– confidence (35%),
– courage and determination (30%),
– knowledge (20%).
Readiness to master traditionally “male” professions
It is worth noting that 20% of the survey participants already work or have had experience in professions traditionally dominated by men, including: technical specialties, IT, warehouses, B2B sector, emergency response, top managerial or strategic positions in technical areas, etc.
At the same time, the majority of women are ready to potentially fill the staff shortage, and 84% of them assess their potential as high or moderate. The biggest obstacle for them is balancing work and family responsibilities.
What else is not conducive to retraining
Young people are more likely to face emotional barriers to retraining, while older people are more likely to face a lack of resources and support.
Among female respondents aged 18-24, 51% indicated discrimination, 41% – fear of judgment, and another 41% – prejudice from society.
For the 55-plus age group, the key barriers are difficulties in reconciling work and family (50%), lack of employer support (33%), and training programs (16%).
Among the conditions that women see as favorable for retraining are access to free courses, support from employers, and flexible schedules.
The survey was conducted by Gradus Research in conjunction with the bias-free method of self-administered questionnaires in the Gradus mobile application. The third wave of the survey was conducted on March 10-11, 2025.
Ukraine has a project to train women in “male” professions
Under the project, Ukrainian women can master more than 30 professions and find jobs in areas where they were less represented.
According to the terms of the project, women are trained at the request of the employer. The employer is obliged to hire them after graduation.
Women are encouraged to master the following professions that were previously dominated by men:
– tram, trolleybus, and forklift driver;
– Operator of machine tools with programmable control;
– milling machine operator;
– Renewable energy systems installation and maintenance technician.
The list includes other professions.
To order training, an employer must contact an employment center. The specialist can choose an educational institution independently from the list of institutions that provide training in the profession. The employment center pays for training in the amount of no more than 10 subsistence minimums for able-bodied persons. If the cost of training exceeds this amount, the difference can be paid by the employer or project participant.
How actively women are learning new professions
According to the State Employment Service, over the past year, about 300 women were employed as machine operators, 128 as crane operators, and almost 200 women received vouchers for training as tractor drivers.
According to the director of the State Employment Service, Yulia Zhovtyak, “under the program of free training for women in traditionally “male” professions, the state covers the cost of training in the amount of up to 30 thousand UAH, and Ukrainian women will be able to master more than 30 professions in areas where they were less represented.
Yulia Zhovtyak also said that there are currently 8 vocational education centers in Ukraine that provide training, retraining, and advanced training in 98 licensed professions and more than 400 educational programs.
