Working Moms Are Leaving The Workforce: How To Get Them Back
No one has gone unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, and it’s no secret how difficult it’s been for both businesses and the workforce that powers the economy. As more research is published, it’s becoming increasingly clear that women in the workforce have taken the brunt of the damage caused by the pandemic. One recent study by Oxfam estimated that the COVID-19 crisis cost women around the world around $800 billion of lost income in 2020 alone. The fight for women’s equality in the workplace has been an ongoing struggle for decades, and that battle for equal compensation and benefits will continue well past the pandemic. However, there’s been a specific group of women that have been hit the hardest by the effects of the pandemic: working mothers. The struggle of moms balancing both work and caring for children is difficult enough without a pandemic, but the numbers show how devastating this time has been for mothers in the workforce. What are the specific challenges facing working mothers, and how can this essential part of the workforce be engaged in re-entering the labor market?
Working Moms and Childcare
Adding the pandemic effects into the existing inequality shows how working mothers specifically have been hurt. Research conducted in 2020 by the equality advocacy group Women in Academia shows that women carried a heavier load than men in providing childcare after schools closed due to COVID-19. Compared to 14% of men, 44% of women reported being the only one in the household providing care to children. Female employment dropped a staggering 13 percentage points between March and April 2020, when schools across the country began shutting down and resorting to distance learning. By early June 2020, 64% of college-educated mothers had reported reducing their hours at work, compared to just 36% of college-educated fathers.
Knowing that the responsibility of childcare disproportionately falls upon working mothers, the burden placed on women and mothers in professional leadership positions has taken a toll. An April 2021 study by the London School of Economics examined the higher levels of stress during the pandemic and its mental health effects. The results showed stress levels increased due partly to an increase in “illegitimate tasks”, or tasks that fell outside of a manager’s role related to their position or experience level. Some illegitimate tasks were the result of not having an assistant in the next room taking care of administrative duties. Others were related to retaining employees and meeting company goals that were the direct responsibility of the manager. But one notable “illegitimate task” that fell to mothers in management was the responsibility of childcare and online schooling during a work day. This added a significant amount of stress to managers who were already balancing highly stressful jobs along with the uncertainty of their company’s performance during the pandemic. With the closure of schools and daycare facilities, along with the reduction in child care workers such as nannies, women in management positions have been inundated with both personal and professional stressors. The pandemic has presented a problem for working moms already contending with the pressure of the glass ceiling; with the added responsibility of childcare, many working mothers were forced to reduce their working hours and suffer another economic disadvantage than what they as women statistically confront.
Getting Working Mothers Back On Track
As the pandemic recently entered into its 7th fiscal quarter and lockdowns eased, many employers expected that employees would be excited about returning to work. Instead, the perspective of work-life balance for millions of workers led to The Great Resignation, an unexpected shift in employment where in April 2021 alone, more than 4 million workers left their employment in search of positions better suited to their lives. This large swath of workers leaving the workforce disproportionately affects low wage jobs, where as mentioned earlier, women are drastically overrepresented.
With so many leaving the workforce, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce even called this lack of labor “an urgent crisis” that is threatening economic recovery. The shortage is forcing employers to change their approach when attracting prospective workers, and this hiring shift is now putting both women and mothers at an advantage when negotiating compensation and benefits. Many companies are pre-empting requests by offering more to their potential employees than they ever have before. Here’s what to look for when searching for a new position:
1. Look for employers willing to offer childcare benefits
Many employers now recognize the need for childcare benefits if they want to attract and keep qualified employees. Large Companies like Bank of America and Citi are preemptively offering childcare benefits to all prospective employees. Electronics retailer Best Buy, who already offers childcare benefits to employees through Care.com, just announced employees will also receive $100 reimbursements for after-school tutoring for the teenage children of employees. Childcare benefits are becoming more mainstream now, and these companies see it as an investment into their business to offer this benefit and retain experienced employees.
2. Seek out companies that offer flexible working arrangements.
During the pandemic many employers were forced to migrate to remote working platforms, which also made it easier for mothers to care for their children while working from home. A recent Monster.com survey found that 90% of working parents ranked a flexible working schedule as being very important to them. Employers are taking notice that permanent in-office work may not be absolutely necessary, and are now offering flexible working arrangements to attract and retain more employees. Here's a list of 100 companies offering flexible working arrangements.
3. Turn to companies whose culture supports women and mothers.
It’s easier than ever to glimpse into the company culture of a prospective employer, and with tools like Glassdoor.com, which allows anonymous reviews from current and former employees, it’s worth the time and effort to judge for yourself if a company has a history of supporting women and mothers in the workplace. Businesses can market themselves as inclusive, but employees within the business can shed light on what actually takes place within the company. There are also resources available to help mothers and supportive businesses connect: Harper & Gray is a top-tier talent acquisition company that helps match forward-thinking companies with candidates seeking employers who value diversity and inclusion. Along with connecting candidates with employers, Harper & Gray also offers Executive Coaching services to both companies and individuals to ensure professional success. Their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion means that any company a prospective candidate may consider on their platform has been vetted.
The COVID-19 pandemic completely overturned the labor economy, but also has had the knock-on effect of forcing employers to be more flexible in their hiring and labor practices. This can be a silver lining for mothers looking to re-enter the workforce or transition to a more inclusive company, due to the considerations a parent makes when choosing a workplace. Companies know that it’s becoming more commonplace to offer benefits that many believe should have been offered in the first place; due to the demand for employees those companies are increasingly offering benefits like childcare and flexible working options so they can retain their workforce. It’s time to take advantage of this opportunity.
If you’re looking for work or to transition to a better position, take some time to research companies that value the inclusion of women and mothers in the workplace. If you’re an employer, consider offering benefits that will not only attract qualified workers, but will retain them for the long term. Harper & Gray can help employers use this opportunity to diversify their workforce and find candidates of value that match their company culture. The numbers on diversity don't lie: Companies with significant gender diversity in their leadership teams outperform the market by an estimated 25% according to a recent McKinsey report. This statistic increases to 36% in leadership teams that have ethnic diversity. With over 2 million women who have left the workforce during the pandemic and many looking to return, now is the time to match qualified women with progressive companies who will value what working mothers bring to the table. Whether you’re looking to hire on behalf of a company, or looking for your next professional opportunity, contact Harper & Gray today and begin the next step in your success with a company that understands your values.