What Moms Need From Employers To Thrive In The Workplace

This Mother's Day, a new study finds significant gaps in what working mothers need verses what is currently offered by their employers.

Working Mom
Adobe Stock/ Vadim Pastuh

Ahead of Mother’s Day in America on Sunday, May 14, Horizon Media embarked on its second annual “Mother of All Titles” campaign to celebrate the contributions of working moms and encourage actions to support their inclusion. The campaign also features a study of more than 1,300 working moms that reveals their needs, the misconceptions they face in the workplace, and what employers can do to better address the challenges they continue to face.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the labor force participation rate for all mothers with children under age 18 was 72.9% in 2022, higher than the 2019 value of 72.3%. With working mothers making up an estimated one-third (32%) of all employed women, they have a significant impact in the workplace. Yet, various factors continue to contribute to the stress and experience that working mothers say they are having on the job.

How Employers Can Support Mothers In The Workforce

The “Mother of All Titles” study shines a spotlight on working mothers’ concerns about workplace issues such as lack of healthcare benefits, minimum maternity leave offerings, fear of repercussions for taking time off, and more. Findings reveal that the overarching theme that employers have a meaningful opportunity to support working moms in more ways that align with what they say is most important to them—as there are significant gaps in needs verses what is currently offered:

  • 61% believe there are misconceptions surrounding maternity leave. The #1 misconception (40%) is that it is a “vacation.”
  • 59% view flexible working hours as “extremely important.” This is ranked as the #1 most important benefit across all groups of working moms. However, only 34% currently have this benefit through their employer.
  • 50% indicate flexible work-from-home/remote policies as “extremely important.” Only 31% say this is currently offered by their employer.
  • 45% believe that having lactation support (access to a lactation room and/or lactation consultant/doula via insurance) is extremely important. Only 27% have access to any of these services through their employer.
  • 42% say back-to-work transition options after maternity leave is “extremely important.” Only 14% have access to this benefit through their employer.
  • 41% view providing recommendations for last minute and sick childcare as “extremely important.” Only 13% say that this is currently offered by their employer.
  • 35% view childcare credits/subsidies as “extremely important.” Only 10% say this is a benefit currently offered by their employer.
  • 34% deem support options for children with special needs/learning disabilities as “extremely important.” Only 8% say this is a benefit currently offered by their employer.
  • 33% cite childcare options outside of school hours as “extremely important.” Only 9% say this is a benefit currently offered by their employer.

“The ‘Mother of All Titles’ study indicates that working mothers—and those who mother— are telling us that they are still facing challenges and stigmas associated with the ‘motherhood penalty’ in the workplace, but that there are also opportunities for employers to lead in supporting them by implementing improvements in resources, benefits, and policies,” said Latraviette Smith-Wilson, Chief Marketing & Equity Officer, Horizon Media.

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