The current “she-cession” refers to the millions of women who have been forced out of the workforce in the past year, backpedaling decades of progress.
Data has found that a quarter of working women are now considering downgrading their careers or leaving their jobs altogether.
Even more, working mothers are less satisfied with remote working arrangements than working dads since they are often the ones attending work meetings, while juggling their children’s virtual learning.
This problem runs deep within U.S. culture, with a study finding that the U.S. ranks lowest among working mothers when it comes to productivity, work-life balance and work-arrangement satisfaction in the increasingly remote workforce.
So how can business leaders do a better job of supporting their employees who are stretching themselves thin to make ends meet?
If the past year has taught us anything, it’s that workplace flexibility should not be stigmatized. In fact, working moms should be encouraged to choose their own schedule based on their individual preferences.
Additionally, the perks offered to workers should be catered dependent upon who they are. For instance, if a working mother must travel for business, offer them the ability to bring along their children and caretakers.
Understanding which employees are retained based on the benefits and perks a company offers is essential. While happy hours can be great for some, it does nothing to support working mothers.
