Defining and Addressing the Mental Load

The mental load, frequently mistaken for household labour, has received a lot of attention in the last 3 years. But how do we define the mental load, how does it impact families, men and women, and how has COVID-19 transformed the way we view this invisible work? Importantly, once we have a better understanding of these questions what can be done to lessen the load?

In this webinar, the director of the Future of Work Lab, Professor Leah Ruppanner will draw from research findings to provide a better understanding of how the mental load operates within society and families and how we can begin to address it.

Leah Ruppanner is a Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of The Future of Work Lab at the University of Melbourne. She was previously a Director of The Policy Lab at the University of Melbourne. Her research investigates gender and its intersection to inequalities, technologies and policies. Professor Ruppanner is a leading expert on COVID-19 and its impact on gender inequality in US and Australia. Professor Ruppanner is leading a project on gender bias in hiring algorithms to understand how gender bias limits women’s access to employment.