Why women are less happy at work even when everything seems to be in order.
Work happiness is not just about what organizations arrange, but especially about how work feels. Kim Soons explains why energy, recovery, and being able to be yourself are essential for women-empowering leadership.
A strong HR policy. Flexible working hours. Attention to development. Plenty of good intentions. And yet, something can still feel off. Research from the Vrouw & Werk Desk, Driessen Groep, and Markteffect shows that women rate their job happiness lower on average than men. Not a huge gap, but still a signal. Because apparently, job happiness says not only something about what is arranged on paper but especially about how work feels in practice.
Kim Soons, a coach and trainer at Bloeij, recognizes this. She sees that women often juggle many responsibilities at once. And work is not a minor detail in that mix. “Work is also a big responsibility for women,” says Kim. “Women are becoming more independent. Yes, you need this responsibility.” But precisely because work plays such a significant role, the question becomes more important: when does work energize? And when does it primarily drain energy to keep functioning well?
According to Kim, job happiness starts with something that sounds simple but reveals much in practice: Am I allowed and able to be myself here as a woman? This question touches on more than just atmosphere or satisfaction. It’s about the space to express oneself. To set boundaries. To not constantly have to scan what is wise to say or not. But also about practical space. About energy, recovery, and the opportunity to recharge before being completely drained. ‘It’s not just about time management. It’s about energy management,’ says Kim.
And exactly there lies, according to her, an important key for organizations. Because job happiness does not arise solely from policies, programs, or good intentions. It emerges in daily practice. In how a manager listens. In how safe it is to raise an issue. In how much space there is to be human, even when life outside of work demands a lot. Kim sees that organizations sometimes quickly fill in what someone needs, especially when something is happening in someone’s life, such as pregnancy, caregiving, grief, or another significant event. While the most important step is often: continuously tuning in. Because a life phase does not automatically change someone’s ambition. “That woman wants to be challenged just as well.”
This is exactly why women-empowering leadership goes beyond isolated measures. It requires looking deeper. At what women need to not only keep working but also to contribute with energy, confidence, and individuality. Or as Kim summarizes: ‘Am I allowed and able? That’s where job happiness begins. And that’s where women-empowering leadership also begins.’
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