For working women striving for career progression, one facet of their pathway can have huge implications for the remainder of their career: motherhood. Women who are considering starting a family or are already in the process typically have different experiences than their male counterparts. Motherhood has become more demanding, according to one study. The research suggests that the expectations to breastfeed, the rising cost of childcare and the higher expectations to spend time with children contribute to this finding and for women with college degrees, there is a greater mismatch between expectations of motherhood and reality. For women who have children, there was a notable decline in their employment following the birth of their first child. An interesting finding of the aforementioned research is that the break in employment was unplanned for many of the women surveyed. Men who were surveyed had similar views of parenting and starting a family bef ore and after having children. One possible explanation for this finding is societal gender norms and the expectation that women should take care of the majority of the child care responsibilities. Women make up nearly half of the U.S. labor force, according to the Department of Labor statistics. According to research, in 40% of households with children under 18, working mothers are the primary breadwinners of the home. Data also reveals that 64% of mothers who have children under the age of 6 are either employed or seeking employment. Given these statistics, it should be of primary importance for companies to figure out how to better accommodate working moms, who make up such a vast portion of the workforce. How can organizations create a culture of inclusion to both attract and retain working mothers?
1. Overcoming stereotypes. One survey found that one-third of Americans and 22% of working mothers felt that it was not ideal for a mother with young children to be employed. Biases regarding women's capabilities and assumed responsibilities, as well as societal norms, all impact how mothers are treated after having a child. Reprogramming employees to reevaluate their ways of thinking can spark change and more acceptance and understanding. Inclusion and bias training should address these biases and the many ways they can manifest and impact decision-making in the workplace.
2. Inclusive policies. Non-inclusive policies and procedures will not only deter mothers from applying or staying at a company, but in many cases discriminating against mothers, or expectant mothers, is illegal. Family responsibilities discrimination is defined as "discrimination in the workplace based on an employee's responsibility…to care for family members." It is also illegal to discriminate against an employee or job applicant because of their pregnancy or a condition related to pregnancy or childbirth. Reassess workplace policies and procedures to ensure that they are inclusive to pregnant individuals as well as mothers. Creating inclusive policies will not only help the organization to retain talented employees but will also draw in talent and give the company a competitive advantage. Companies like Facebook and Johnson & Johnson are well known for their exceptional parental leave policies.
3. Increased flexibility. New parents may desire more flexibility in their roles to account for their schedules or childcare responsibilities. Allowing employees to work from home more or to have a modified work schedule, a four-day work week for example, may be ideal for the employee and can also benefit the organization. Research indicates that a four-day work week made employees more productive. Job crafting, which allows employees to mold their jobs to suit their background and interests, may also be an effective way to overcome the maternal wall. Job crafting was found to increase job satisfaction and may be a great option for working mothers.
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