What do Working Mothers Really Want?

The first Sunday in March marked Mothers’ Day. We hope that all mothers had a lovely weekend with their families, and they received flowers, chocolates, breakfast in bed, and above all, love and appreciation. 

Sadly, the latest data do not show that mothers’ problems will be solved with flowers and chocolates. Let’s consider how mothers are doing: 

According to a US survey published by Motherly:

• 46% of mothers are seeking therapy
• 62% of mothers report getting less than an hour to themselves a day
• 78% of mothers admit to sacrificing sleep to take care of their families
  

According to a UK survey published by REC Parenting: 

• 46% of working mothers have considered leaving their job because they can’t handle their work and parenting responsibilities:

According to a survey recently published by Calm:

• 90% of women said family planning challenges can be all-consuming and affect their mental health and their ability to focus at work and be productive
• 17% of working mothers did not talk to anyone when experiencing challenges with their children’s mental health, and 14% did not discuss their miscarriage or pregnancy loss

According to a UK survey by Bright Horizons:

• 74% of women say they carry the mental load for parenting compared to 48% of men
• 51% of women say they work flexibly to fulfil childcare requirements compared to 27% of men
• 63% of women report feeling confident discussing family-related issues with their employer

All in all, the latest research tells us that mothers are facing significant issues. They need support. Employers are in a perfect position to ease some of the worries that their working mothers are facing. What actions can they take?

• Create truly family-friendly workplaces: Start the conversation around what needs to change to better support mothers, model caring out loud, create an ERG for parents and caregivers…
• When designing employees’ benefit package: Make mothers’ mental health a priority
• Train line managers so they are better able to support working mothers in their teams
• Offer 24/7 expert parenting support
• Offer flexible working
• Help with childcare 

Flowers and chocolates are a great gift but I bet that all working mothers would say that receiving support for their employers would be the best gift ever. And let’s not forget that when we support mothers, we are supporting their children. 

If you think your organization can do more to support your working mothers and anyone who mothers, do get in touch. There are so many things that we can do together!

Much love,

Ana

Dr Ana Aznar