Retaining employees who are mothers: What employers - and parents - must consider

A major side effect of the pandemic is its effect on the availability of childcare, as daycares close and schools become virtual. Working mothers, and to a lesser extent, working fathers, have had to cobble together solutions to ensure their children are looked after.  Even then, the most carefully planned solution can disintegrate in seconds if a COVID-19 infection occurs.

It might be tempting to think this is purely a personal or family issue. But its ripple effect extends far beyond that. To get a look at the bigger picture, I asked an employer who is also a mother – the cofounder and CEO of MomUp, Michelle Keefe – about what she’s seeing.

Keefe’s staffing and talent acquisition company specializes in connecting part-time and full-time business professionals with employers, tapping the valuable resource of mothers who want to continue their career paths with businesses that value work-life balance.

BenefitsPRO: Do you think employers are fully aware of the extent of the challenges their employees who are parents, and especially mothers, are facing? 

Michelle Keefe: I believe it would be difficult for employers to ignore this issue. Recent headlines demonstrate that four times the number of women as men left the workforce in September, just as school started, and the McKinsey/Lean In Women in the Workplace study outlines the challenges of working mothers during COVID. The fact could not be clearer: mothers need more support and understanding from their employers if employees want to retain women in their organizations.

The McKinsey study found that more than three quarters of mothers with young children feel childcare is one of their top challenges during this pandemic, as opposed to just over half  of fathers. It is hard not to see every headline and realize that families are struggling right now and balancing work, childcare, and remote school is an impossible challenge if employers do not provide more support and flexibility to employees.

This moment has highlighted a systemic issue: Companies need to be more supportive. They must create a culture where employees feel safe to communicate needs and obstacles without penalization.

It is really up to employers to lead the charge and take the onus on building a work culture that is inclusive to families especially during this universally challenging time. Most importantly, this pandemic is a temporary situation during which some employees with families need extra support.

What can employers do to help retain working moms who are struggling with childcare and considering career breaks or scale backs?

The number one thing employers can provide is a clear and safe avenue for communication. Employers must cultivate a culture of empathy in the workplace in which employees feel comfortable communicating their concerns or obstacles.

They need to provide flexibility to parents and trust that they can be productive while managing a work-life balance.

Many women hesitate approaching managers with requests for more flexibility or explaining the current challenges they are facing with childcare stems out of a concern of subsequent penalization or judgment.

In fact, 42% of parents are nervous to use childcare benefits at work according to a Catalyst study. Employers who want to retain working mothers need to recognize this issue and work to change it.

In addition to communication, employers need to become aware of their unconscious bias that leads to much of this systemic issue for women in the workplace. Additional training for all employees and managers will minimize the bias that many women face when requesting flexibility.

For many employers, the fear of change from a traditional workplace to a more inclusive, flexible one prevents progress. If you want to retain working moms, be open to change and experimentation. Offering more flexibility to everyone will not only reduce resentment amongst a team but also bolster a community of trust and autonomy.

Are there employers who don’t care or haven’t thought through the negative outcomes of women quitting their workforce?

For every employer that may not be aware of or disregard the importance of a diverse workforce, there are many more that believe in the value and understand the importance of diverse perspectives.

Like with anything else, managers and employers need training to build awareness and improve the many biases that can exist, and I think we are seeing real momentum and are on the cusp of big changes in the workplace.

What should working mothers consider before taking that drastic step of quitting?

Unless you are working in a toxic work environment, exhaust all possibilities of keeping your current job first. Start by having the tough conversation with your manager about the challenges you are facing.

You may be surprised to receive a more supportive response than you expect. And if you are already considering leaving the role then it is definitely worth taking the risk of communicating your needs first.

Next, think about the changes you have control over. Are there alternative arrangements that can be made at home? Will your partner have better luck requesting flexibility at their job?

If the expense of childcare is a driving force, weigh the options. Can your family sacrifice much of your income to childcare while you maintain job security versus leaving your job and your income entirely? These are really hard questions to answer, but they’re important to consider before you make big changes.

If leaving your job is a choice that you have to make, then start by reaching out to your network. The job market is tight right now so it’s necessary to get creative when looking for a new position and finding a personal contact within an organization may yield better and faster results. Consider other avenues of income as well. Can you freelance? Find part-time work?

Any tips for approaching one’s employer?

Before approaching your employer, spend time evaluating what changes need to be made so you can manage childcare and your work. Once you have a clear sense of what you need, you can clearly communicate that to your boss.

Is it that you cannot attend every Zoom meeting? Are there certain times of the day you need to dedicate to your family? Can you work alternative hours?

Determine who the best person at your organization is to make these decisions, and schedule a call or Zoom. Don’t make these requests over email; tone is very important.

You may also discover that some of your requests are incredibly reasonable and easy for a company to adapt to once you spell them out. Devise a plan to maintain your productivity and accomplish your tasks; outline your achievements and value to the company.

This pandemic is not going to last forever. If they can weather this storm with you and know that you will not need all of these requirements forever, then they may be more open to flexibility, understanding that it will likely cultivate your loyalty moving forward. Don’t forget that if you leave, it is expensive and time-consuming for your employer to fill your position.

What are the implications of working mothers leaving the workforce — for their careers, for companies, for society?

This is an important question because the impact of working mothers leaving in large numbers–a trend we have already seen just in the September exit of more than 800,000 women–will be huge from both a macro and micro level.

Losing a significant portion of the workforce will significantly harm the economy. Additionally, as the number of women leaving organizations increases, companies lose a significant portion of their gender diversity. Companies that have women at senior levels do 50% better than their counterparts, according to the McKinsey/Lean In study.

It will be difficult for these companies to get these women back into their roles and the cost and time of hiring and onboarding new employees is significant. Retaining loyal employees reduces spending, enhances dedicated employees and improves bottom line. It costs anywhere from 50-400% of annualized salary to replace an employee depending on their level in the company.

Companies should be thinking very hard about how they want to support women right now.  It is very short-sighted to ignore the issue and think it will resolve itself. By then, it will be too late.

On a micro level, the effect on families is significant. Losing one parent’s income will harm families – their security, lifestyle – and that could be felt for a long time. It is difficult to rebound from a loss of income. Lower-income individuals are experiencing the most dramatic impact with significantly higher rates of job loss and departure, placing families in very vulnerable positions.

What are the implications for women’s financial security and ability to save for retirement?

On average mothers have been managing three times the amount of domestic labor than fathers. According to the McKinsey/Lean In study, mothers right now are working 20 hours more per week than fathers because of household/childcare responsibilities.

There is more unconscious bias towards mothers right now as well. In order to overcome this they are working significantly harder at work and risk burn out from the increasing demands at home and at work.

This situation has the potential to set women back significantly, either forcing them off their career path, placing them in vulnerable financial situations and/or robbing them of their independence and financial security.

But overall I think something positive will come out of this.  The pandemic has forced us as a society to examine the strains on women at both home and at work.

Many companies are facing budget cuts and layoffs, but there are still jobs to be filled. For companies who want to hire working moms, many of whom may be hesitant to start new roles, what do you recommend?

There are many companies that prioritize hiring working moms, and that is largely because they know they are an untapped resource.

There’s actually a great intersection right now between the needs of companies and that of working moms, in that many companies do not want to hire for full-time or long-term roles right now. They don’t have the budget or maybe are waiting to ride out some of this uncertainty.

We see companies with this issue all the time at MomUp–most of the roles we fill are part-time or contract roles at the mid- to senior-level –and in some cases, the employer believes their options are limited and it’s challenging to find exceptional workers for part time roles.

But seeking out a highly educated, high-performing working mom for the position instead can really be a mutually beneficial situation. The company gets a more senior person for the role, and the working mom can continue generating income, keep on track with her career and tackle new challenges–she can balance her family needs while not completely opting out.

If a company wants to increase gender diversity and be a part of the solution, they can consider being open to, or actively seeking out, highly educated or high performing working moms who want to step back from full-time work to fill those roles.