{"id":2902,"date":"2021-10-11T14:00:23","date_gmt":"2021-10-11T06:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.sg\/blog\/?p=2902"},"modified":"2021-12-21T11:34:47","modified_gmt":"2021-12-21T03:34:47","slug":"4-ways-employers-can-support-working-moms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pacificprime.sg\/blog\/4-ways-employers-can-support-working-moms\/","title":{"rendered":"4 ways employers can support working moms"},"content":{"rendered":"

Nowadays, working moms in Singapore and beyond are no longer forced to choose between pursuing their careers or raising children. Yet, there\u2019s a lot of struggle that goes on behind the scene to balance these two areas of their lives. Whether it\u2019s an employer who assumes that women of childbearing age can\u2019t be promoted or the lack of flexibility in the workplace, it\u2019s no wonder that many working moms crack under the pressure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this <\/span>Pacific Prime Singapore<\/span><\/a> article, we\u2019ll tell you how to support working moms so that you won\u2019t see talented female employees quit when they tell you they’re pregnant. The cherry on top? Not only will you retain stellar candidates and benefit from their skills, but you\u2019ll also earn a name for yourself as a progressive employer who adapts to mothers\u2019 needs and will be able to attract the best employees.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Corporate<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Understand the challenges faced by working moms\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

According to a <\/span>Channel News Asia article<\/span><\/a>, men and women between the ages of 25 and 29 in Singapore participate equally in the workforce at a participation rate of over 90%. However, the number dips for women in their 30s and 40s, with a difference of about 5 percentage points between men and women in their 40s. Perhaps it\u2019s no coincidence that the median age of first-time mothers in Singapore is 30.3 and many women are also giving birth in their 40s.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As such, the first step employers like yourselves must take to support working moms is to understand the challenges that are causing mothers in the workforce to give up on their careers:<\/span><\/p>\n

The \u201cdouble burden\u201d of women\u2019s work\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Even when both parties are working full-time, women shoulder more childcare duties than men. <\/span>Research from the National University of Singapore (NUS)<\/span><\/a>, shows that mothers spend twice as much time with their young children compared with fathers on weekdays. While the gap is smaller on weekends, women still clock in more hours on childcare than men. Professor Jean Yeung, the study\u2019s principal investigator, also added:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs the children get older from birth to six years old, the father\u2019s time with them increases only slightly.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Discriminatory practices in the workplace\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

To add to this, women face discrimination in the workplace based on the assumption that they will have to take on more childcare duties if they get pregnant. When hiring, some employers even scrutinize women of childbearing age about their personal life and plans to have kids. There are also cases where employers don\u2019t provide adequate maternity benefits or support, nor do they provide good childcare or family benefits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

COVID-19\u2019s impact on mental health and caring duties\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

The pandemic also increased mental health burden. To put this into perspective, the Singapore Counselling Centre saw a 40% increase in the number of clients from 2019 to 2020, as per a <\/span>Straits Time article<\/span><\/a>. What\u2019s more, the pandemic exacerbated the existing inequality that women face in their caring duties as well. Georgette Tan, President at United Women Singapore, said in an <\/span>Ipsos article<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe recent changes in working patterns due to the pandemic has put the spotlight on the gender inequality that exists on the domestic front, and highlighted the value of women and their contribution to society.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2. Reduce discrimination by prioritizing diversity and inclusion\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

One thing working mothers want from their employers is not to be singled out and have their gender or family status impact their opportunity for growth in the organization. That being said, it\u2019s not easy to reduce discrimination overnight. Start by providing diversity and inclusion training to your HR team and employees so they understand the value and contribution of a diverse workforce.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s a quick guide on diversity and inclusion:<\/span><\/p>\n