4 ways to support working moms

May 12, 2023 11:18 AM

Working moms can never truly take a day off, and between the responsibilities of work and home, their plates are often beyond full. Recognizing this precarious balance — and providing support and resources to ease their stress — is much appreciated ahead of Mother's Day, as well as year-round.

In this week's top stories, the final episode of our podcast, Perk Up, explores how supporting fathers can benefit moms and their children, too. Offering paternity leave — and encouraging fathers to take it — sets the tone that dads should play an equal role, which can help moms release the pressure and burden of feeling like they need to do it all.

Outside help with child care can also make a huge difference for moms and their families. WalletHub ranked the states that are best for working mothers, based on factors like child care accessibility and affordability, and work-life balance. And maintaining that balance might not require a complete overhaul — instead, moms and all employees can take small steps each day to improve their mental well-being. Check out a few ideas from benefits consultancy, Corporate Synergies.

Celebrate mothers this weekend and all year by reviewing your policies, benefits and culture so they're mom- and people-friendly.

Offer child care stipends and flexible spending

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The best and worst states for working moms

Without federal programs like paid leave or universal child care to help support working moms and their kids, many working families are left to their own devices to find the right professional and personal fit. But there are a few states in the U.S. that could make this slightly easier for working families — and WalletHub ranked all 50 and the District of Columbia to find the best and worst geographies for working moms.

Support and consider dads, too

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What about dad?

The longstanding narrative that the man is the breadwinner of the family and that his place is in the office and not the home, is harmful to both moms and dads as they work towards a partnership that benefits each other and their families. The executive director and co-founder of Fathering Together, a nonprofit organization that offers educational resources as well as in-person online communities, shares what needs to change to benefit working families.

Prioritize well-being, even in small doses

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Mental health maintenance: Daily doses of wellness help employees stay balanced

Employers can make sure their entire population is getting some kind of support by communicating and promoting smaller, ongoing wellness efforts within the workplace. Providing opportunities for mini breaks for a breathwork session, or offering a 10-minute massage at the office can promote the message that wellness is a priority.

Make women's health mainstream

Read:

Why menopause support is a trending workplace benefit

"If you're an employer of 10,000 people, 500 women today have endometriosis, and another 500 have PCOS, and half of your workforce will go through menopause," says Max Landry, founder of women's health solution, Peppy. "We call it specialized women's health, but it should be called mainstream health."