Nearly half of British mums say having children has hampered career progression
Nearly half (44%) of British mums believe having a family has hampered their career progression while 54% say their earning potential has been reduced, according to new research from totaljobs.com.
The survey of 580 mothers based in the UK outlines the attitudes of women re-joining the workforce after having children. The majority (58%) of those surveyed said they went back to work through financial necessity, while 38% said it was because they enjoy the social aspect of working and 24% did so to progress their careers further.
John Salt, director of totaljobs.com comments: “Employer attitudes need to change so that mothers feel they are able to continue their careers on the same trajectory after having children without fear of being marginalised. There is no reason why anything should fundamentally change and businesses need to make sure mums are given the same opportunities to progress as everyone else. There is some great work being done by companies in terms of promoting equal opportunities but it’s important that this is not just lip service. ”
Furthermore, half (51%) of the mums surveyed believe they are not considered as reliable by employers since giving birth, while 42% say they feel the need to work harder to prove their commitment compared to their colleagues without children.
John Salt continues: “Many mothers have to go back to work out of financial necessity so it’s disappointing to see that, of the working mums we surveyed, a large proportion feel they are being treated differently by employers and colleagues alike. Although some re-adjustment on both sides may be necessary mothers should not feel extra pressure to prove themselves again after having children. The government should do more to help working mothers by investing in childcare services, while businesses can support by adopting practices such as flexi-time and remote working where possible.”
And people wonder why more and more mothers are turning to self-employment…. It’s not rocket science!
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