Women's mental health: invisible but very real inequalities

May 28 marks the International Day of Action for Women's Health. Far from being just another symbolic date in the calendar, it reminds us that the gender inequalities have direct consequences (and all too often invisible!) on health, especially mental health.

Because even if the discourse on equality is progressing on paper, the reality is still full of discrepancies. Reduced access to positions of high responsibility, household burdens that are still unevenly distributed, contradictory social expectations, mental load underestimated parenting... So many factors that generate a stress column and weigh on psychological balance.

Chez Qualisocial, we prefer to talk about concrete solutions rather than fatalistic observations. Understanding what women are going through also means better support, better prevention, and above all: create work environments that truly respect everyone's balance.

According to the Qualisocial x Ipsos Mental Health Barometer & QVCT 2025, women have a QVCT score that is 15% lower than that of men.

• On mental health, the gap reached -25.75%.
• The feeling of being listened to and recognized is 21.7% lower.
• Emotional commitment (desire, involvement, pride) is consistently between 13 and 20% lower.

Figures that speak for themselves: double professional punishment for women

Displayed parity does not mean experienced equality, much less perceived equality. Today, less than 20% of COMEX members in CAC 40 companies are women (source: Ethics & Boards, 2023). And on the boards of directors? We are making progress (thanks for the quotas! 😅), but the gap remains marked when it comes to executive power, general management or presidency. The glass ceiling did not disappear, it just changed its texture. It is less frontal, more subtle, but just as effective in stopping courses. What is also an obstacle is part-time work, often presented as a choice... when in fact, it is suffered for nearly one in three women in part-time employment (source: INSEE, 2023). A work organization that reduces opportunities for development, the chances of taking on responsibilities, and even training. Fewer perspectives = less projection = less confidence. And that's not just a career issue: it's a real Mental fatigue factor.Even when women reach positions of responsibility, the march remains high. Many of them testify to a Feeling of having to “prove more”, to do more to be recognized at the same level as their male counterparts. And this pressure is not only perceived: it is experienced, daily, in exchanges, evaluations, and decisions that drag on. The result: a professional mental load that is added to the rest, with a well-known explosive cocktail of stress, self-monitoring, and sometimes discouragement. Especially when the reconnaissance does not follow.To make matters worse, our Mental Health Barometer & QVCT 2025 in partnership with Ipsos reveals that theWomen rate their QVCT 15% less positively than men, with a maximum difference of nearly 22% on the subject of recognition and listening (Place given to employees).

The weight of the household load: a key factor in imbalance

There is work... and then there is everything that comes before, after, between meetings and even sometimes during lunch breaks. Plan meals for the week, manage laundry, think about school trips, order a birthday present at the last minute, coordinate medical appointments, the famous “invisible to-do list” that never really takes a break. And if we look at the numbers, this burden still falls very heavily on women.68% of household chores are still done by women in France (source: Inequalities Observatory, 2025). Yes, yes, even in 2025! Even in homes where both parents are working full time. Even with well-established egalitarian discourses. This imbalance creates a second day of work, which many have integrated without even realizing it. We often talk about”Pro/personal balance” as an attainable ideal. But in reality, it's often an implicit injunction to do everything, all the time, and well.

The social pressure to be efficient at work AND flawless at home is gradually setting in.

And since the household load is often silent (and difficult to measure), it remains largely invisible in HR policies, even though it impacts concentration,energy, the stress level and the Feeling overloaded. What is important here is to get out of individual guilt: there is no lack of organization, there is a lack of relay. We don't “manage badly”, we manage too much, all the time.

Good news; solutions exist to “ease” women's mental health

• When companies offer more flexibility real, not just on paper,
• When we value the results rather than the presence,
• When the maternity leave and fatherhood become a shared subject (and shared fairly),
• When do we finally integrate this famous”The reality of the out-of-office” in the reflections QVCT,

... Now then, we start to lighten the load, for real. Because no, it's not “normal” to end all your days exhausted, with a full head and a full heart on the alert. And because rethinking balance is a condition to last, thrive, and contribute fully: at work as at home!

Equal rights... but no treatment

There is a lot of talk about equal rights, and that is undeniable progress. But what about equal treatment on a daily basis? Now, the reality is a bit more complex. Let's take the teleworking, for example. While many businesses have adopted it, it often remains a different perspective on the women who benefit from it. Between the culture of doubt, sometimes implicit, and overcontrol, they find themselves pressurized. It's not just a question of schedules or results, it's a question of trust. They are sometimes asked to “prove” more than to their male colleagues, as if their productivity were less obvious.The reality is that they are often confronted with microaggressions See, cases of stalking : these small remarks or behaviors that seem trivial, but that accumulate and leave traces. They are also more prone to incessant interruptions, and even to unconscious biases, which make us hear them less or disinvest them in important decisions. All these small actions, even if they are rarely intentional, build a A climate of distrust that slowly eats away at self-confidence. And this lack of legitimacy, this feeling of being undervalued or of having to “erase yourself” to be accepted, can have devastating effects in the long run. But rather than focusing on what is not working, and talking about stress or anxiety (which may indeed be present, but all too often invisible), at Qualisocial, we prefer to talk about opportunities. How, through a culture that is more inclusive and more aware of these biases, can we release trust and legitimacy for all?Companies that choose to reinvent themselves in this sense create environments where each employee (male and female!) can thrive without having to prove its effectiveness. It is by establishing this mutual trust that we create a virtuous circle, where performance does not depend on surveillance, but on the recognition of each person in their role.

👀 Content that the editor particularly liked on the subject of women's health: the dedicated file”women's health at work” by TheDailySwile. To be devoured, without moderation!

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Why should these issues be taken into account in workplace mental health policies?

Mental health is still a taboo in many businesses, and when it comes to mental health, the gendered and systemic aspect is often overlooked. However, it is essential to adopt a global approach that goes beyond the simple management of symptoms, taking into account the specific factors that influence the well-being of employees, especially women. The idea is not to oppose performance and well-being, quite the contrary. Recognizing the complexity of women's careers and their specificities become a real driver of transformation for the company. When an organization values these paths, it promotes not only the well-being of its employees but also their commitment and efficiency. Recognizing the challenges specific to each individual, especially women, and taking into account their daily realities, are assets in order to move the company in a positive direction.It is crucial to redefining performance : it's not just about quantifiable results, but also about well-being, balance and personal development. A company that values this balance creates an environment conducive to productivity, where mental health is not a barrier, but a driver of success.‍

Finally, what if we rethought mental health in business, with more accuracy and nuances? By taking the time to listen to experiences, by focusing on differences that are sometimes invisible, and by creating work environments that really take people into account.Celebrating May 28 is also that: opening your eyes to what we can improve, little by little, together.At Qualisocial, we support companies that want to move forward in this direction, by offering concrete solutions to take care of the mental health of employees, women as well as men. Devices designed to support, prevent, and promote healthier and more balanced work cultures.