Although stay-at-home motherhood is a goal for some moms, many others seek to balance their family roles and responsibilities with careers.
It’s an aim that’s often easier said than done, with a portion of mothers feeling forced to choose between their professions and their kids. According to McKinsey & Co.’s ninth Women in the Workplace report, 38% of mothers with young children said they would quit their jobs or go part-time if flexible work wasn’t an option.
Caring for younger children, who often require more active care, likely prevents some women and other parents from working as much as they would like. A recent report by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) showed the labor force participation rate for mothers reached 74% in 2023, up 1.1% from 2022. Mothers with older children had higher participation rates (77.8%) than mothers of children under the age of 6 (68.9%).
To attract and retain working mothers, and parents in general, organizations are using total rewards strategies that promote flexibility on the job and in benefits packages.
Parental Benefits: Money, Time and Support
Parental leave is growing. WorldatWork research found the percentage of employers offering paid parental leave to some or all their employees grew from 46% in 2016 to 70% in 2022. This benefit is far from universal, though. According to a BLS fact sheet, 27% of all workers in private industry have paid family leave of any kind, including parental leave.
However, parental leave can — and should — be just the start when it comes to benefits. Many organizations are revisiting what they offer and soliciting employee feedback to better meet traditional and emerging needs.
“Moms need the same things all working parents, regardless of gender identification, need from their employers. Parental benefits fall into three categories: money, time and support,” said Amy Beacom, EdD, founder and CEO of the Center for Parental Leave Leadership and author of The Parental Leave Playbook (Wiley, 2021).
“The first two, time and money, require crafting a paid parental leave policy designed to reach your unique company goals while considering best practices, the law and employee expectations. Support has to do with benefits that impact the employee experience in practice, like resources from the company.”
Formal Transitions for Parents
Having an established process, Beacom noted, clarifies organizational priorities and expectations while providing parents with a clear map forward. The off-boarding process prior to leave and onboarding after leave occurs are critical moments where communication, accessibility and professionalism should guide policy and conversation.
Employers can help parents transition back from parental leave by establishing a clear process, said Tina Lawler McHugh, a senior research associate at the Boston College Center for Work and Family. “There is high demand for a formal, phased return to work and [work-related] travel to ease the transition. While these policies remain the exception, more employers should consider them for anyone returning from an extended leave.”
The Center’s research on parental leave found almost one-third of new mothers were less satisfied with their work after returning from maternity leave, McHugh added. The main culprits behind dissatisfaction included higher workloads and increased expectations from managers.
McHugh encouraged employers to consider the invisible demands on their employees outside of work.
“For starters, total rewards professionals should ask working mothers and all employees about their caregiving responsibilities and the supports they most value. Very often, a new program isn’t needed; it’s more important to connect employees to existing solutions when they need it,” McHugh said.
If TR pros know how to enhance and communicate the value of existing benefits, she added, organizations are likely in a better position to meet employee needs.
Implementing New Parental Benefits
When considering a new initiative or revisiting existing benefits, some organizations may be able to consider onsite childcare, while others could start with a monetary amount or care allowance set aside for each employee, said Jennifer Barnes, CEO of Optima Office, an accounting, C-suite and HR services firm.
Barnes, a working mother herself, knows quality childcare is a top priority for many of her employees. When it makes sense, her team members may bring their children into the office and work flexible schedules to accommodate parent and child needs. Barnes recommends employers transform unused office space into an onsite childcare center, if they have the space, staffed by hired caregivers.
“It’s sometimes easier said than done, but it can be done if you have the right environment and the right location. Childcare offers a huge value to families,” she noted.
Aside from onsite childcare, Barnes suggested adding more choices so employees can design their own benefits. This could include offering a caregiving credit (e.g., $500 per month) toward the cost of childcare or caregiving.
Some employers are paying for benefits employees don’t want or need, Barnes said, and such benefit funding could be better allotted to fit actual demand in the organization.
“Maybe we reimburse you for educational programs, or nanny assist or additional training in other areas,” Barnes said, pointing out diverse offerings for diverse employee needs. “Maybe we have three different options. That would probably be more engaging and inspirational.”
