Apparently Having a Job AND Kids Is Too Much to Handle? Why the Struggle is Real for Working Mums
Ah, the life of a working mother—a glorious mix of caffeine-fuelled mornings, missing uniforms, snotty kids, and the never-ending quest to find a quiet place for Zoom meetings (spoiler alert: the laundry is a solid option). But let’s be real—while working mums are essentially the CEOs of their households and their jobs, they often face a workplace culture that treats parental responsibilities like a professional liability rather than an asset.
The Unfair Stigma: “Oh, She’s a Mum”
There’s an unspoken bias in many workplaces that working mothers aren’t as committed, available, or productive as their child-free counterparts. In fact, research backs this up—one study from the Harvard Business Review found that mothers are often seen as less competent and committed compared to non-mothers. Meanwhile, fathers actually experience a boost in how they’re perceived at work because they’re seen as responsible providers. (Cool, cool, cool.)
And let’s talk about those double standards. A mum leaving early for a sick child? She’s not prioritising her career. A dad doing the same thing? “Aww, what a great father!” You see the problem?
Flexibility Isn’t a Perk—It’s a Productivity Booster
The good news? Forward-thinking managers who get the realities of working mums (and parents in general) are seeing the benefits of offering flexibility. A Stanford University study found that employees who work from home or have flexible schedules are actually 13% more productive than their in-office counterparts. That’s because working mums, in particular, don’t take flexibility for granted—they make every second count, whether it’s cranking out reports between school drop-offs or taking Zoom calls while making dinosaur-shaped sandwiches (yes, this is a skill).
Why Grateful Employees Work Harder
Here’s the thing about working mothers who are given flexibility: they are grateful, and gratitude fuels productivity. Studies show that when employees feel valued and supported, they’re more engaged, more loyal, and less likely to jump ship. And guess what? That means lower turnover, fewer hiring costs, and a workplace culture that doesn’t feel like it belongs in the 1950s.
A report from the International Workplace Group (IWG) found that 85% of businesses say flexible working makes their companies more productive. And yet, some managers still believe that if they can’t see employees working, they must not be working. (Dear managers: Mums have perfected the art of multitasking. Trust me, if she can answer emails while a toddler reenacts the entirety of Frozen in the background, she can handle anything.)
The Bottom Line: Flexibility = A Win-Win
The modern workplace is evolving, and companies that refuse to embrace flexibility for working mums (and all employees, really) are at risk of losing top talent. The struggle is real, but it doesn’t have to be. The best managers are the ones who recognise that supporting working mums isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s good for business.
So, to all the managers out there: Give working mums the trust, flexibility, and support they deserve. In return, you’ll get employees who are efficient, hardworking, and eternally grateful that they didn’t have to fake a dentist appointment just to make it to a school play. Sounds like a pretty sweet deal, doesn’t it?