Mental Load of Domestic/Care Responsibilities and Impact on Productivity

Exploring how domestic and care related responsibilities impact individual productivity.

Project Introduction

This lab-in-field experimental study explored the impact of domestic and care-related responsibilities on individual productivity. The objective was to understand how the mental load of home and caregiving duties affects performance on structured experimental tasks, while controlling for demographic and occupational factors that might otherwise confound the relationship between care responsibilities and productivity outcomes among participants.

Partners

Researchers

Project Methodology

The project targeted hundreds of participants, combining baseline survey data with an experimental treatment phase that captured demographic characteristics, information on home versus work responsibilities, experimental treatment assignment and responses, and performance on assigned tasks. A key challenge arose when survey links were circulated beyond the intended pool and random individuals began filling in the form, expanding the dataset to over 2,000 entries; the team quickly implemented rigorous data monitoring, cleaning, and validation protocols, combined with real-time tracking of respondent demographics and continuous communication with field teams, to ensure only the targeted sample was retained for analysis.

Impact

The study’s findings have the potential to shape discussions on creating equitable work environments by quantifying how care burdens impact productivity, particularly relevant for policy debates on flexible work arrangements, redistribution of care responsibilities, and targeted interventions for gender equality in the workforce. Through proactive management, quality assurance, and a rapid response to sampling issues, the project delivered a high-quality dataset capable of supporting robust analysis of the relationship between household responsibilities and productivity.

Documentation

This project is currently in progress, and will be updated with findings as results arise.

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