In developing Uplift, I’ve surveyed and interviewed well over one thousand working moms and talked to countless business leaders trying to support them.
Unfortunately, I’ve found that most companies (even with the best of intentions) miss five major insights about working moms:
The issues around working moms are a hidden risk. Most companies don’t cut their engagement data by parents, even less by the age of their kids. And, 73% of women don’t feel confident that what they share with HR will remain confidential.
Maternal bias is the most significant bias in the workplace, more than gender, race, or sexuality.
Most companies are solving the wrong problem, treating this as a logistical one when the real issues facing moms are the emotional pressures. Only 18% of new moms feel confident in their work, and over half feel guilty every day.
Helping moms isn’t just about the moms. Your top-performing women are usually Type A, planners. Your mom-brain-drain most starts with your younger women, before they become moms as they plan for a family.
It’s not just hard right when moms come back. Moms are 3x as likely to think it’s harder after the first few months than within, but most companies focus their efforts on re-entry instead of lasting work-life balance.
If you are interested in learning more, I go more in-depth in this video. And, if you want help supporting working moms at your company, get in touch.
