The pandemic-driven shift towards greater workplace flexibility was initially heralded as a game-changer for working parents, affording them greater control to navigate professional and family demands. Despite the benefits of hybrid arrangements and a growing need for flexibility, many companies are now rolling back these pandemic-driven changes. Return-to-office mandates run the risk of driving working parents, particularly women, out of the workforce at a critical time, says Reshma Saujani, the founder of Moms First and Girls Who Code.
Saujani warns that the post-COVID return to work could also disadvantage those who opt for flexible options. “Corporate America is perpetuating a myth that moms choosing to take advantage of flexible and remote work is somehow at odds with our ambition,” she notes. Furthermore, there are mounting concerns that career advancement opportunities may disproportionately favor in-person employees, potentially exacerbating pre-existing inequalities. Saujani stresses the urgent need for companies to establish an inclusive and equitable work environment that supports flexible policies for all employees and better supports and retains talent.
For Saujani, this upcoming Mother’s Day presents a valuable opportunity to underscore the distinct challenges faced by working mothers, and the necessity of implementing systemic change. During a recent discussion, Saujani shared insights on solutions that prioritize systemic change rather than expecting women to adjust to outdated practices. "It's time for a new playbook when it comes to women's leadership," Saujani says. "One that focuses on changing the system, not the woman."
As we celebrate Mother's Day, why are flexible work policies more critical than ever to support working parents, especially mothers?
“Flexibility isn’t a nice to have for working parents, it’s a must have, and that’s especially true for working moms who we know are responsible for an outsize share of the unpaid labor at home. Up until the pandemic, women had for decades been trying to hide our motherhood at work in an attempt to squeeze ourselves into these traditional workplace environments and cultures that just fundamentally weren’t built for us. And we were running ourselves ragged doing it: trying to be in two places at once, pretending our kids’ doctors appointments were “networking lunches,” and putting home cooked meals on the table for dinner when we were commuting 45 minutes in traffic.
“The expansion of flexible and remote work has finally started to create breathing room for working parents, but now we’re at a critical moment where businesses are starting to rewrite the rules again, or if not the actual rules then the norms and expectations. We have to ensure that companies don’t reflexively order everyone back to the office in some kind of knee jerk response to a bad quarter, and also that taking advantage of these policies doesn’t come at a cost to women’s careers and their economic security.”
Despite the growing popularity of remote work and flexible scheduling, a stigma exists around these practices, especially for working mothers. What actionable steps can business leaders take to combat this stigma and foster more inclusive work environments?
“So much of the stigma around remote work is about what is being signaled from the top ranks of leadership. And too often when it comes to flexible work the message from CEOs (who are likely to be high-earning, older white men with wives who stay home) is: you can have it, but not if you want to be in my seat. We’ve all read the headlines and it’s something I hear all the time when I talk to companies. Corporate America is perpetuating a myth that moms choosing to take advantage of flexible and remote work is somehow at odds with our ambition. 41 percent of C-suite executives believe working remotely makes employees less promotable. What’s of course not being talked about is how difficult it is to be a working mom in the first place in a country that does not have paid leave and where 40 percent of families have gone into debt over child care costs.
“Meanwhile, as CEOs are busy sending a message to moms that flexibility is going to stand in the way of their advancement, women aren’t hurrying back to their cubicles, they’re running for the hills. Vanishingly few women are reaching and staying in leadership roles – senior women are quitting at the highest rate they have in five years. It’s a crisis.”
What benefits should businesses weigh for both their employees and their bottom line when considering the adoption of flexible work policies, particularly if they are hesitant to embrace them?
“First, companies should be guided by the data – and the data shows that remote workers log longer days than those who commute, and during those hours, they’re more engaged, creative, and productive than in-office employees. There’s study after study on this: remote work works.
“Second, in a talent market where resignations are outpacing layoffs, flexibility is a key (and cost-effective) competitive advantage–and not just for recruiting and retaining women. A recent study found that fathers spent more hours with their families during the pandemic, and would like to keep it that way. When given the option to work remotely, nine in ten workers–of all genders—take advantage of it. In addition, 21 percent of job hunters leave for more flexibility, proving that punitive cultures don’t discourage employees from using these policies; they just push them out the door.”
As flexible scheduling will remain a priority for working parents, what steps can employers take to ensure they’re prepared to support this trend over the long-term?
“Flexible and remote work policies have got to be contextualized in broader workplace cultures that welcome and actually celebrate caregiving, and that value employees as whole people whose lives do not just turn off between 9 and 6, Monday through Friday. That culture is built in your policies and the benefits you offer to parents, but also in what your CEO is saying about remote work in media interviews, in how we’re encouraging men to take paid leave (or not), and in what we’re measuring in our performance reviews, whether we are looking at productivity or still prioritizing facetime.”
Finally, as we celebrate Mother's Day, what message would you like to share with other working parents, especially mothers?
“My message to moms on Mother’s Day is that it’s time for a new playbook when it comes to women’s leadership – one that focuses on changing the system, not the woman. We’ve got to start saying no to more trainings, more self help books, more mentorship programs and start asking for what we really need: things like flexibility (that doesn’t come at a cost), child care, paid leave, and equal pay.”
