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Despite the strides made in gender equality, the working world continues to be a challenging environment for working moms. The unfortunate reality is that the societal and cultural systems in place are not conducive to supporting working motherhood. While more women are joining the workforce, many are doing so at a cost, being forced to choose between their families and careers. Women of color, particularly those who are the primary or sole breadwinners, face compounded challenges, including systemic biases and limited access to resources and support networks. To find the right path forward, we must understand the depth of this issue through the history of working parenthood, examine the present-day challenges faced by working moms, and provide ideas for companies to make changes.
Over the past century, we’ve seen the rise of working mothers and today, nearly 70% of mothers with young children at home are part of the workforce. This number reached a record high post-pandemic. The number of working moms has skyrocketed by 800% since 1860, and this surge in working mothers coincided with a significant increase in the number of breadwinner wives from 1972 to 2002. However, despite their contributions to the economy, working mothers still grapple with these challenges at home and in the workplace.
Just this month, this working mom shared how exhausting being a woman in corporate America is when she was written up for taking three unscheduled PTO days in 6 months to care for her sick children. Working mothers continue to face a host of obstacles that impede their ability to balance work and family life. From demanding schedules to the unequal distribution of household and caregiving responsibilities, the burden disproportionately falls on mothers. Findings from Pew Research Center highlights that mothers, regardless of whether they are the primary, sole, or equal breadwinners, spend significantly more time on caregiving and housework compared to fathers.
The gaps in the U.S. care economy is not a new conversation, but it’s one that continues to get worse. Childcare service costs have increased 2x the overall inflation rate in 2023, ranging from about $5,000 upwards to $17,000 per year. This is not sustainable, especially for families with multiple children, forcing many women out of the workforce.
Uneven caregiving responsibilities take a toll, leading to a financial burden when there is no paid leave available beyond the default short term disability for pregnancy. Out of 41 countries, only the U.S. lacks paid parental leave. Instead, STD policies are used as a proxy for paid parental leave, but 30% of women without paid parental leave quit the year they have a child.
Many women report being passed up for promotions or opportunities if they have children, calling having a family “career suicide.” The gender wage gap triples after parenthood and a career break of 2 years results in a 15-20% reduction in earning power for working mothers. It’s not surprising that women are delaying family planning or having fewer children, leading to an average family size declining.
The pandemic and forced shutdowns that took everyone out of the office had a silver lining. Many working parents realized that they were able to better balance their careers and parenting responsibilities. But recently, return-to-office (RTO) mandates are becoming more and more prevalent, which highly impacts women who are 30% more likely to turnover when work from home policies are rescinded.
When it comes to maternal mental health, the United States scored a national grade of D. 40 states and the District of Columbia received grades of D or F, with only California managing to achieve a B-. These statistics paint a grim picture of the state of maternal well-being in the country, further making the working world seem less and less compatible with motherhood.
The historical trajectory of maternal health, coupled with the persistent lack of childcare and paid leave, clearly shows the urgent need for systemic change. Employers wield considerable influence in shaping workplace policies that support working mothers. 65% of employers say a more supportive workplace culture helps attract and retain employees.
Adding or updating paid parental leave policies is a critical first step to fight the parental leave crisis in the United States. Women need paid parental leave in addition to disability benefits. 6-8 weeks postpartum is not enough time, and these disability benefits only apply to the individual giving birth to the child, excluding non-birthing mothers. Current policies exclude many parents and we unfortunately still have a long way to go for national paid parental leave.
Companies need solutions now, that’s why Parento is the first and only program providing a scalable, nationwide solution for employers to offer paid parental leave through insurance. Not only does paid parental leave increase tenure by 10-15%, but adding and expanding access to paid maternity and parental leave is also good for the economy. It’s estimated to add 3.3 million women to the U.S. workforce, which would increase the U.S. GDP by 1%.
Another focus is wraparound support and holistic health initiatives to meet working parents where they are. Here are some additional policies to make the workplace more supportive and compatible with parenting:
The working world is not made for moms, and motherhood is not made for working moms. From demanding schedules to the unequal distribution of household and caregiving responsibilities, the burden disproportionately falls on mothers. Providing tangible support and resources can make a world of difference in alleviating the burdens. To address the needs of working parents, a paradigm shift is needed now. Central to this shift is the implementation of wraparound care and holistic initiatives that create an equitable and supportive environment where mothers can thrive both personally and professionally. It's time to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of working mothers and take concrete steps towards building a more inclusive and compassionate world for all.
