Experts warn: Wives of reservists in Gaza collapsing under their many burdens
The wives of reservists fighting in Gaza are suffering terribly, torn between caring for their children at home and working at their regular jobs, if they haven’t been dismissed.
A new study, conducted by the Israel Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (IIOSH) among 1,498 people employed during the summer, examined the physical and psychological effects on workers in Israel and the differences pertaining to gender.
The effects of the war directly impact the health of workers in Israel who are struggling under pressure. Untreated chronic stress can lead to problems sleeping, fatigue, depression, and physical ailments like headaches and digestive issues. The pressure could even increase the risk of physical illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.
The excessive burdens that female employees and self-employed women are trying to cope with have resulted in work-related stress, the survey shows.
According to recent data presented by the Knesset Economic Affairs Committee, 30% of female workers called up for reserve duty reported a change in employment status; 6% of these women were fired from their jobs, and 8% were placed on unpaid leave. In addition, 86% of self-employed individuals in Israel reported a drop in their income.
The survey was conducted during the summer months of 2023 and during the early stages of the war in December.
The research shows that women experience higher levels of fatigue, anxiety, and sleep difficulties compared to men. Nearly half of women are experiencing difficulty sleeping compared to 26.3% of men, while 46.3% of women are suffering very high levels of fatigue compared to 32% of men.
Among working mothers with children under 18, the gender disparities are even more pronounced: 46.8% of working mothers are having difficulty sleeping compared to 24.1% of fathers, and 48.7% of working mothers are experiencing very high levels of fatigue at work compared to 32% of fathers.
The research also found that almost twice as many single women than married women (10.1% compared to 5.9%), and more women than men in general lost their jobs (7.3% compared to 3.9%); 9.6% of men were on reserve duty at the beginning of December as opposed to 1.2% of women.
IIOSH made suggestions on how to lessen the burden these women are carrying: Employers must identify and clearly understand the current situation by continuously monitoring patterns or behaviors exhibited by workers indicating mental distress, such as excessive sick days, high employee turnover rates, fatigue, lack of concentration, irritability, and decreased performance indicators.
Employers should communicate with workers, listen to them, and plan goals, needs, and requirements that are appropriate in this difficult period.
Likewise, workers must understand the organization’s needs and want to be helpful. In many cases, they likely feel guilty towards their colleagues and clients. A renewed definition of requirements from workers and defining the scope of work and appropriate schedules should enable them to undertake achievable tasks, contribute to the collective effort, and maintain motivation and commitment.
Rami Be’za, chairman of the Freelancers and Self-Employed Forum, charged that the state neglects the female self-employed in Israel, who struggle under this unique burden. The government announced plans for a ‘Recruiting for Reserves’ program, supposedly to help the self-employed, but in reality, according to Be’za, there is no budget for the program, and the debts of the self-employed continue to grow.
“How do you expect such people to cope? Why isn’t the plan addressing extending maternity leave for self-employed individuals or incentives for growth that are supposed to assist with future business impact? Until we receive answers to these details, more and more self-employed people will collapse with unbearable debt and fatigue. The self-employed urgently need oxygen, or there will be no one left to save,” he said.
IIOSH director-general Miki Winkler concluded that during the current war, “female workers are facing many challenges related to maintaining their jobs amidst the economic crisis and caring for their children while their spouses are on reserve duty.
“Singles who bear a heavier burden must also be helped. Employers should pay attention to warning signs and create a supportive work environment that preserves their health and also helps increase productivity at work. We invite employers to use our counseling and guidance service to maintain workers’ mental and physical health.”