# Why employers rocked by the Great Resignation must keep working mothers on board 
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-03-22
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: The Great Resignation: How Covid-19 is Impacting Working
Meta Description: Explore how Covid-19 has reshaped the world of work and the challenges faced by working mothers, highlighting the importance of gender diversity and female representation in the workforce.
URL: https://financedigest.com/why-employers-rocked-by-the-great-resignation-must-keep-working-mothers-on-boardhtml

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_By_ **_Helen Tinnelly,_** _founder of the training and development company_ _Propelelo_

Covid-19 has changed the world of work forever, prompting a fundamental shift in how, where, when and why people work.

For many employees, the ‘why’ of their [work has also raised](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-based-bitfount-raises-5m-seed-to-streamline-collaboration-between-organisations-working-with-sensitive-datasets.html "UK-based Bitfount raises M seed to streamline collaboration between organisations working with sensitive datasets.") profound questions about their work-life balance, satisfaction and remuneration, as well as encouraging a flight to greener pastures.

This has, in turn, heralded a [Great Resignation](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2022/02/17/half-britains-workers-eye-new-jobs-great-resignation/#:~:text=Half%20of%20Britain's%20workers%20are,according%20to%20polling%20company%20Ipsos) as thousands of workers who bided their time during the uncertainty of the pandemic decide that now is the moment to change jobs. With the number of job vacancies hitting a record high, it’s a jobseeker’s market, and many employers are being forced to pull out all the stops to attract recruits.

Yet while this game of Musical Chairs plays out, one group has been [left behind](https://www.financedigest.com/click-and-collect-or-get-left-behind.html "Click and Collect or get left behind") again – mothers.

**Feeling out of sight and out of mind**

As [Covid restrictions](https://www.financedigest.com/chinas-covid-resurgence-spurs-new-curbs-foxconn-imposes-restrictions.html "China’s COVID resurgence spurs new curbs, Foxconn imposes restrictions") have impacted school opening hours and the availability of childcare, mothers who are primary caregivers have been disproportionately affected. [Research suggests](https://www.cgdev.org/publication/global-childcare-workload-school-and-preschool-closures-during-covid-19-pandemic) women did 173 additional hours of unpaid childcare during the pandemic, compared to 59 hours for men. In addition, the upheaval around furlough [schemes and work restructuring mean that women](https://www.financedigest.com/bloom-uk-launches-fourth-annual-co-mentoring-scheme-the-exchange-for-senior-and-c-suite-men-and-women.html "Bloom UK launches fourth annual co-mentoring scheme, The Exchange, for senior and C-suite men and women") on maternity leave are even more likely to feel out of sight and out of mind than before.

With no standardised path [back to working life](https://www.financedigest.com/trump-charges-bring-new-york-zombie-case-back-to-life.html "Trump charges bring New York ‘zombie case’ back to life") as the world adjusts to the new normal, many new mothers are left holding the baby – both literally and in terms of their careers.

The volatility in the jobs market is unlikely to ease the existing brain drain of new mothers. With nearly one in five professional women (17%) leaving employment within five years of having a child, this would be a waste of experience and talent at any time. But in the current environment of skill shortages, it’s little short of criminal.

**Hitting the bottom line**

The [business case for advancing women leaders](https://www.financedigest.com/how-leaders-can-develop-their-business-intuition.html "How Leaders Can Develop Their Business Intuition") is compelling. In addition to doubling a company’s talent pool, there is clear evidence that [recruiting women increases financial](https://www.financedigest.com/2016-financial-recruitment-trends.html "2016 FINANCIAL RECRUITMENT TRENDS") performance. A study of Fortune 500 companies has shown that those with [higher representation of women on boards financially outperform those](https://www.catalyst.org/research/the-bottom-line-corporate-performance-and-womens-representation-on-boards/) with the fewest female members, while gender-diverse business units have higher average revenue than less diverse units.

Firms that employ large percentages of female staff are associated with higher levels of job satisfaction and employee engagement for all workers, regardless of their gender. Diverse [working environments also foster greater innovation and make it easier to attract new employees](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-protect-your-employees-mental-health-while-remote-working.html "How to protect your employees’ mental health while remote working").

Needless to say an outflow of skilled, experienced women also directly affects the corporate bottom line as well. The price of replacing an employee can be [50%-200% of their salary](https://www.gallup.com/workplace/247391/fixable-problem-costs-businesses-trillion.aspx) when you factor in processes like recruitment, onboarding and training of new staff. Add to that the loss of knowledge and experience when a skilled [worker leaves](https://www.financedigest.com/more-than-half-of-workers-are-open-to-leaving-their-current-employers.html "MORE THAN HALF OF WORKERS ARE OPEN TO LEAVING THEIR CURRENT EMPLOYERS"), as well as the impact on team projects and morale, and there are clear costs to bear. We estimate that for a 5000 FTE company, the loss of these mothers can work out in the region of £200k a year.

**The working mother fallacy**

Yet at a time when staff retention should be an increasing priority, pay statistics show that new mothers, in particular, are disincentivised from returning to work. A poisonous false assumption still pervades through many offices that a working mother’s heart is not fully in the business, a fallacy barely ever applied to working fathers.

Research conducted last year by the [salary comparison company Payscale found that women performing the same role as men earn](https://www.financedigest.com/billionaires-salary-how-long-does-it-take-for-them-to-earn-your-wage.html "‘Billionaires Salary: How long does it take for them to earn your wage?’") 7% less on average when coming back after an extended absence such as maternity leave. This pay gap impact is more acute between the ages of 30-44, a career period when many men are promoted into management positions while women either don’t [return or come back in a reduced](https://www.financedigest.com/finnair-to-cut-costs-reduce-fleet-to-return-profitable.html "Finnair to cut costs, reduce fleet to return profitable") capacity.

An exodus of mothers disadvantages [companies that should be striving to close gender pay gaps and boost levels of representation and diversity](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-toughens-up-diversity-targets-for-uk-companies.html "Britain toughens up diversity targets for UK companies") in boardrooms that are already lacking their fair share of female senior leaders. The UK Government’s [Gender Pay Gap Bot](https://twitter.com/PayGapApp?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor), which tweeted the (in some cases startling) gender gap of all organisations posting in support of International Women’s Day this month, showed the gulf between words and action in this area. This leak in the pipeline drains the female talent pool at the middle management level causing issues with female representation in [senior](https://www.financedigest.com/the-senior-management-regime-takes-shape.html "The Senior Management Regime takes shape") management.

The tragedy is that so many workplace departures can be avoided. A pre-pandemic poll by the management consultancy Gallup found that more than half of employees (52%) who left their jobs said an intervention by their manager or organisation in the months [leading up to their exit could have changed](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-lead-organizational-change.html "How to Lead Organizational Change") their mind.

Instead of allowing this experienced talent pool to ebb away, employers should recognise that bringing working mothers back into the fold as smoothly as possible will provide multiple benefits, both now and in the future.

**What is the solution?**

[Businesses need to take a three-pronged approach to ensure women](https://www.financedigest.com/overcoming-challenges-faced-by-women-in-business.html "Overcoming challenges faced by women in business") feel encouraged and empowered to return to their careers following maternity leave.

First, they must assist with the provision of affordable childcare. Too often mothers find the cost-benefit of going back to [work just isn’t there as wages](https://www.financedigest.com/apples-australian-workers-go-on-christmas-strike-demanding-better-wages-work-terms.html "Apple’s Australian workers go on Christmas strike demanding better wages, work terms") are swallowed up by nursery or childminder fees. This has to be addressed by [parental leave policies](https://www.financedigest.com/impact-com-announces-new-global-parental-leave-policy.html "impact.com announces new global parental leave policy") and support aimed at both mothers and fathers.

Second, it is crucial that firms recognise the importance of — and thoroughly explore — [flexible working](https://www.financedigest.com/the-flexible-working-revolution-is-here-so-why-arent-you-tracking-expenses-on-the-go.html "‘The flexible working revolution is here – so why aren’t you tracking expenses on the go?’") options for women returning from maternity leave, including broader shared leave policies. The pandemic has made many employers more open to hybrid [working and compressed hours](https://www.financedigest.com/low-use-of-shortened-work-hours-points-to-mild-german-recession-ifo.html "Low use of shortened work hours points to mild German recession – Ifo"), but they need to be equally willing to create suitable environments for working mothers and establish clear boundaries between work and personal time.

Finally, acknowledging that a long absence from their job can leave working mothers feeling ‘out of the loop’, potentially sapping their confidence and enthusiasm for coming back, organisations must put more emphasis [— and resource — into training and development](https://www.financedigest.com/going-cashless-the-developing-digital-economy.html "Going Cashless — The Developing Digital Economy"). This will help women [hit the ground running on their return and also deliver an immediate benefit to the business as they fit seamlessly back](https://www.financedigest.com/back-to-black-germanys-coal-power-plan-hits-hurdles.html "Back to black? Germany’s coal power plan hits hurdles") into their role and wider team. Employers should also provide [access to support](https://www.financedigest.com/51-of-brits-support-teresa-may-and-would-grant-access-to-their-personal-communication-and-internet-browsing-history-as-part-of-the-snoopers-charter.html "51%* of Brits support Teresa May and would grant access to their personal communication and internet browsing history as part of the Snooper’s Charter ") networks, where women can share stories and be inspired by female role models.

By taking these positive steps, businesses will help break a cycle that allows far too many women to slip out of the working world, promote [gender equality and be rewarded with happier and more loyal employees](https://www.financedigest.com/norway-wealth-fund-employee-sues-for-workplace-gender-discrimination.html "Norway wealth fund employee sues for workplace gender discrimination"). That is the very definition of ROI.


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