Heightened stress, soaring costs and missed opportunities: A work-life balance isn’t working for mothers  

Maternal Mental Health Week, running May 2nd – 8th, is a campaign that advocates for those affected by poor mental health during pregnancy or following childbirth, as well as offering a range of tools to enable recovery.

But in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, maternal mental health is not simply a prominent social concern but also a primary business imperative*.

School closures, sick family members and organisational inflexibility compounded to push almost 12 million women out of the workforce, the vast majority of which were working mothers. This departure resulted in the lowest workforce participation rates for women since 1988, with a loss of over $800 billion in wages.

For those that juggled their career with their children, stress levels skyrocketed owing to an increase in ‘illegitimate tasks’, as mothers shouldered the responsibility of additional childcare and online schooling alongside their job. The impact of this increased burden is stark, with one global survey indicating that 75% of mothers are struggling with mental health concerns.

At a time when talent is scarce, thousands of talented women are contemplating their career, and thousands more are struggling to reenter the workforce after having children. In our latest blog, we offer three top tips to help leaders unlock the value added by working mothers.

Set the tone

A radical rethink of the language used to describe working mothers is required.

For many years, organisations have encouraged women to strive for a work-life balance. And yet the very definition of balance, in which things are of ‘equal weight or force’, is sabotaging the success of women – and prompting feelings of stress, anxiety and burnout.

‘To balance’ implies that both elements must be equally prioritised, with clear boundaries and a rigid schedule dictating the shift between personal and professional. Traditionally, this has meant that mothers are expected to be fully present within their working environment between the hours of 9am and 5pm, before heading home to take on the ‘double shift’.

But the reality is that the various commitments of a working mother do not exist in isolation. Project deadlines, international calls and networking events often eat into precious time that should be spent at home. On the other hand, illness, holidays and more recently, enforced school closures, have forced a number of women to juggle their career with homeschooling and caregiving.

Quite simply, a work-life balance isn’t working.

Instead, leaders must advocate for a state of integration, blending elements of the personal and professional to allow for greater coordination of the responsibilities of employees.

For many working mothers, this may take the form of flexible working hours or dedicated remote working days to ease the burden of the school run, evening activities or running a household. Bringing these elements closer together allows them to coexist, rather than compete for attention.

And of course, actions speak louder than words. A shift in language is an important first step, but must be matched with appropriate changes to policies and process.

Use data to recognise difference

To treat women as a monolithic group means that companies will miss critical insights about the differing experiences faced by working mothers.

Single mothers, first-time mothers, mothers of differing ethnicities and young mothers, to name just a few, will face unique challenges as they attempt to combine their career with caregiving.

Disaggregated data on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) will be vital in helping companies to identify drop offs in the promotion and retention of working mothers.

And transforming this data into actionable insights can shape relevant childcare policies. Rather than implementing a ‘one-size-fits-all' approach, information drawn from pulse surveys and one-to-one meetings can be used to develop solutions that more closely match the caregiving commitments of your workforce, such as meal kits or cleaning services.

These insights can also help to identify the support structures needed to help working mothers thrive professionally. ‘Returner’, mentoring and ‘on-ramp’ programmes create a valuable support network that enable women to bring, and celebrate, their ‘whole self’ while at work.

Collecting accurate data can prove challenging, but forward-thinking organisations will be reviewing their processes in a bid to capture better information, drive forward DE&I initiatives aand attract and retain working mothers.

Consider your culture

While a discounted gym membership and a steady stream of events may constitute an appealing Employer Value Proposition for many members of your workforce, the mothers who are already struggling with a busy schedule will likely view these perks as surplus to requirement.

But rather than addressing attrition with blunt instruments, such as pay rises and additional time off, organisations will need to create a culture that embraces and supports parents. Benefits such as ‘radical flexibility’ and affordable childcare will be vital in averting another mass exodus.

Granting additional paternal or paid parental leave has been proven to help ‘level the playing field’ for working mothers, reducing the gender wage gap within households and setting the foundation for a more equal distribution of responsibilities in the future.

And for the one in three mothers forced to take time off after having a child due to soaring cost of care, a range of onsite, fully flexible, heavily or fully subsidised childcare options could help to stem the tide of post-pregnancy resignations.

This investment in the parents within your organisation will likely be reciprocated with renewed enthusiasm and loyalty. Clothing company Patagonia, for example, boasts a near-perfect retention rate of working mothers, crediting their on-site child development centre for the low turnover of staff.

The time is now

‘This is the exact moment to make workplaces finally work for women’.

Organisations are being offered an exciting opportunity to do the right thing for working mothers, implementing long overdue policies and processes that will mitigate burnout and help top talent to thrive.

Those leaders who seize this opportunity will likely benefit from richer talent networks, a decrease in departures and a renewed sense of passion from the people within their organisation.

However, to do so will require an honest reflection of current company practices, as well as an understanding of the changing expectations of candidates. A workforce solutions partner such as Hays can help you to identify, develop and deliver a strategy fit for the new world of work.

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* While this blog references Maternal Mental Health Week and the impact on working mothers, the actions recommended will likely extend to all families.