With 85% of women leaving the full-time workforce within three years of having their first child, and 19% leaving work completely, the talent pipeline for mums is more than just leaky – it’s completely broken. But after decades of mums being in the workforce, what is making businesses continue to overlook mums?
As we begin to see a reduction in the number of senior female leaders for the first time in 20 years, the question of ‘What are we doing wrong?’ may be one running through many HR teams across the country. Removing outside influences, such as childcare, there are still at-work factors that may make mums leave work.
From how pregnancy and maternity leave are discussed in the office, to hiring processes placing the ‘risk’ of pregnancy on women, many returning mothers experience a “motherhood penalty” in the workplace, facing discrimination, limited opportunities for advancement, and a lack of support from their employers.
This not only harms the women themselves but also harms businesses, which lose out on the valuable skills and experience these women bring to the table – skills honed through education, previous roles, and even the unique challenges of motherhood – leading to a less competitive and adaptable workforce.
Despite more mothers working in the UK than 20 years ago, the annual cost to the UK economy for neglecting women’s health at work is £20.2 billion, a number that is not only costly for the country but is also making 19% of mums consider leaving their job due to lack of support at work – a statistic that would cost between 16-213% of the leaving employee to replace.
Clare Radford, Business Psychologist, Founder and Director at & Culture Consulting, expresses what this means for businesses and how they can overcome it:
“Businesses that fail to actively address the challenges faced by mothers at work are not only perpetuating inequality, but they’re also actively harming their own bottom line. Companies that proactively create a supportive and flexible environment for returning mothers – offering things like phased return-to-work programs, accessible childcare options, and genuine opportunities for professional development – are the ones that will retain and attract the best talent.
We need to shift the narrative from viewing motherhood as a career ‘interruption’ to recognizing it as a period of significant personal and professional development. The skills honed during that time – time management, negotiation, empathy, and resilience – are highly transferable and incredibly valuable in the workplace.
Businesses that understand this and actively work to dismantle the barriers facing returning mothers, by offering things maternity-specific support or even just fair hiring and promotion practices, will be the true winners in the talent war of the future.”
Mari-Carmen Sanchez Morris, founder of FitMAMA Way, is an ex-nurse who left the profession to become a women’s health and fitness expert after having her first child. Now a mother of three, she has founded The FitMAMA Way, an app designed to support mums through all elements of health, fitness and wellbeing.
She expresses what solutions are needed to keep mums in the workforce, sharing:
“Traditional ‘perks’ like Christmas parties or drinks after work don’t benefit mums – instead, businesses need to get creative and personal with the solutions they’re offering mums. Access to maternity coaching, wellness resources, and clear communication about workplace expectations can make all the difference in whether a mother feels empowered to continue in her role – or whether she’s forced to walk away.
By providing the right support systems, businesses can help mothers seamlessly integrate their work and family lives, leading to increased job satisfaction, reduced turnover, and a more diverse and dynamic workforce in the long run. Ultimately, supporting mothers is not just good for families; it’s good for business.”
The post Why Are Businesses Still Overlooking Mums In The Workplace? first appeared on HR News.
