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| Working Mom and Baby |
"Managing life-work integration is always easier when your company offers flexible work solutions and great benefits—so be selective." –Melissa McDevitt Working Mother Magazine, October 2014
Working moms who are the primary breadwinners or essential breadwinners understand, succeeding at work is not an option, it is a necessity. Employers who make glib statements like, "if this isn't working you should quit." make the sexist assumption that the working mom is working for some reason other than paying the mortgage and putting food on the table.
While many working moms enjoy their work, if their families need the money, they make choices every day to ensure that their family's needs are met. That means they carry many of the stresses that historically belonged to men. However, because cultural norms have been even slower to change than corporate ones, they also tend to be the primary caregiver for their children and the primary manager of their households.
Accordingly, Corporate America should work to tap into the talents of those women instead of driving them out. I know lots of qualified women who removed themselves from Corporate America because they simply couldn't make it work. These are doctors, lawyers, and other professionals. With ever exodus of a qualified woman Corporate America is less rich. We talk about the race with foreign countries for talent. We need to talk about the talent drain that we experience because women who can leave the workforce.
If you are working a "9 to 5 job" and would like to explore flexible options check out this link. It lists "6 Best Jobs for Working Moms and Dads".
While many working moms enjoy their work, if their families need the money, they make choices every day to ensure that their family's needs are met. That means they carry many of the stresses that historically belonged to men. However, because cultural norms have been even slower to change than corporate ones, they also tend to be the primary caregiver for their children and the primary manager of their households.
Accordingly, Corporate America should work to tap into the talents of those women instead of driving them out. I know lots of qualified women who removed themselves from Corporate America because they simply couldn't make it work. These are doctors, lawyers, and other professionals. With ever exodus of a qualified woman Corporate America is less rich. We talk about the race with foreign countries for talent. We need to talk about the talent drain that we experience because women who can leave the workforce.
Flexible work schedules make work life integration easier, which makes working mothers happier and helps retain them. Also, there is a business case for this that is purely financial. According to Forbes magazine, “If every firm in the country adopted work flexibility, the
economy could save about $15 billion annually.” See Here's A Great Reason Not To Go To The Office Tuesday-It's National Flex Day That's what National Flex Day is about, helping Corporate America see that it can thrive when women find solutions that helps them better service their employers and their families. Making flexible work a standard benefit would do that. Many of the options, job sharing, staggered start times, staggered work weeks, condensed work weeks cost little to no money. So, it begs the question, "Why isn't it a standard benefit?" If you're a working mom or love one, ask your employer. That may not change the world, but it is a start.
Flexible working hours policy template-Here’s a Flexible Hours Company Policy template that can be tailored to your company’s needs…
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