Enough is enough: Majority of working moms aren’t planning on returning to work

Working mothers are saying goodbye to the workplace for good.

Sixty-nine percent of working mothers plan to remain out of work to care for their children, according to a survey by TopResume, a resume writing service. Of the mothers who left the workforce during COVID, 70% said they voluntarily left to accommodate their children and 30% said they were laid off.

Working mothers have been dealt an especially tough hand, as they’ve taken on the majority of home responsibilities: moms are two times more likely than men to say that they handle more than half of the caregiving and education responsibilities at home, according to Cleo.

“The pandemic continues to wreak havoc on people's careers, but no one has been hit harder than working mothers,” Amanda Augustine, career expert at TopResume, said in a release. “This is a grim outlook for employers who are ramping up for a post-pandemic workplace.”

Read more: Employers can end the ‘she-cession.’ Will they?

As employers plan for a hiring surge, the field will be devoid of top female talent: just 14% of working mothers are actively searching for new employment, TopResume found. This comes with a catastrophic cost: if a woman stays out of the workforce for just two years, she will lose a quarter of a million dollars in income over her lifetime. McKinsey estimates women’s employment levels won’t rebound to prepandemic levels until 2024, compared to 2022 for their male counterparts.

Women need flexible work schedules and robust benefits to accommodate the demands of parenting, says Priya Amin, founder of Flexable, a virtual child care benefit provider. Her platform allows parents to book 30-60 minute blocks of time for kids to be engaged and entertained so employees can work without distractions.

“The average working parent is losing three hours per day in productivity. You feel guilty that you’re failing at everything,” Amin says. “We’re on a mission to say, if we can even give one of those hours back, what type of effect can we have, not only to the bottom line of an organization, but to the well-being of that parent.”

Employers including PwC, Cleo and others have boosted their support and resources for working moms. As parents contemplate how and when to return to the workplace, employers will be on the front lines of helping them balance work and home life.

“School openings, child care availability and affordability are all factors in working parents' ability to return to work and offices,” says Erin Grau, cofounder of Reset Work. “It's important to keep talking about caregiving obligations and to provide employees with the support and resources they need.”

Read more: This platform is a one-stop shop for the benefits your employees need

Over the coming months and even years, employers will need to be vigilant in making sure working mothers are supported, Amin says. Having open and honest conversations with employees caring for children can help keep their heads above water, before it’s too late.

“I'm working constantly, and my six-year-old drew this picture of him asking me, ‘Mommy, are you done?’ The mom says no. That’s everyone’s life right now,” Amin says. “Hopefully parents will continue to feel empowered enough to speak up and say, ‘I need support.’ From the highest level down, there should be a compassionate ear that understands and meets parents where they are.”