In gender studies, sticky floor refers to the care tasks that are traditionally assigned to women; these represent an obstacle that do not allow them to leave the domestic sphere and dedicate time to their professional development.
Given their family responsibilities, it becomes difficult for women to continue training outside of work, or to participate in meetings or corporate events. This has a negative effect on their professional life.
A sticky floor is a direct consequence of women having a double (or triple) shift, thus resulting in an excess workload, and the difficulty of balancing their family and professional lives, given men’s lack of or insufficient involvement in domestic and care responsibilities. In addition to becoming a barrier to their professional development, the sticky floor can result in women abandoning their jobs or reducing their work day.