Did you know a woman’s probability of being employed declines during the first ten years after the birth of her first child? As if being a woman didn’t come with enough of its own inherent challenges, entering into motherhood as a working professional really puts the cherry on top. The motherhood penalty is not new; it’s a concept that’s existed for as long as women have been a part of the workforce, and refers to the systemic disadvantages they experience re-entering back into the workplace after having a baby. These injustices include being offered lower wages, fewer opportunities for promotion, and tolerating criticism about their commitment and productivity to occupy the same positions as their male counterparts. Despite the efforts of thousands of organizations that exist solely to advocate for gender equality, the motherhood penalty continues to pervade the lives of millions of American women.
How the covid-19 pandemic affected working moms
The covid-19 pandemic didn’t help this largely overlooked, societal issue. In 2020 the maternal employment rate decreased 15.7% due to unprecedented challenges like lack of childcare support, career interruptions, and negative impacts of the pandemic on mental health. These challenges only further reinforced gender inequalities - both at home and in the workplace - that completely exacerbated the motherhood penalty.
Between schools closing and social distancing requirements preventing nannies and family members from helping out at home, the quarantine caused mothers to have to split their attention between focusing on work and child-rearing 24/7. Naturally, this resulted in reduced productivity and increased stress for working moms. To manage, many mothers had to take leaves of absence or quit their jobs. Interruptions such as these are shown to have long-term consequences and in some cases, can devastate a woman’s career path. For instance, having to explain gaps in their resumes or missing out on opportunities for raises, promotions, and other career advancement opportunities.
More importantly, performing this constant balancing act led to never-before-seen rates of depression, burnout, and anxiety. Women were getting the short end of the stick both at work and at home. While many women consider going to work a break from the nonstop duties of motherhood and vice versa, the traditional gender inequity of raising kids offered them no reprieve from either side.
Motherhood penalty statistics
On average, 24% of women leave the workforce in their first year after giving birth. In the fifth year, 17% are still absent, and it doesn’t slow down much after either. 10 years after birth, studies show 15% of women are still unable to re-enter the workforce. Extended absences or the transition to part-time employment poses long-term risks to women’s professional development journeys, affecting everything from their earning potential to their mental capacity to care for themselves and the children’s lives they’re responsible for.
Working moms make anywhere from 63 to 71 cents for every dollar working fathers bring in. Research tells us that the earning gap between men and women doubles after having a child and continues to grow until the child reaches 10 years of age. What’s more, although this inequity narrows after the first ten years, it never disappears. Women who are job hunting post-baby are less likely to get hired for the positions equally-qualified women without children are securing. When they are offered a job, they’re offered lower salary rates despite their academic qualifications or professional experience.
Tips for women balancing remote work & new motherhood
In a post-pandemic world, managing the duality of remote work and childcare responsibilities is a growing concern. Ladykind is committed to supplying women with the knowledge and resources necessary to support themselves through this inescapable work-life balance. Here are a few suggestions our experts have to help women tackle the juggling act of managing work projects, household tasks, the wellbeing of their children, and their own mental health.
- Negotiate flexible work arrangements. When interviewing for jobs, look for positions that offer remote work, flexible hours, or a hybrid schedule that allow time and space to take care of both professional and personal responsibilities without penalization.
- Set boundaries with both family and employer. It’s easy to blur the lines between your personal and professional life with a work commute that consists of rolling out of bed and into a desk chair. Establish and communicate strict working hours and offline time.
- Build a community of support. Call on help from available family, friends, and colleagues when an extra set of hands is needed, whether it be home or work-related.
- Invest in professional development. If it’s not possible to jump back into working, stay afloat by enrolling in online courses or attending virtual conferences to keep up with industry news and trends to remain sharp and relevant for when the time comes.
- Prioritize self-care. Last but not least, taking care of mental and physical health is crucial for the most important factor in this conundrum: your newborn baby. Practice relaxation techniques, solidify better diet and exercise habits, and lean on health aid supplements such as Ladykind’s women’s wellness tinctures to help you show up as your best self.
Balancing motherhood and career has been an ongoing societal challenge for centuries, further exacerbated by the pandemic. Yet, with mindful strategies and supportive self-care tools, new moms can learn to navigate this uncharted territory and eventually come out on top. For mamas who are not breastfeeding, we recommend Ladykind’s Rise & Rest Set of award-winning hormone balancing tinctures to restore balance to your wellbeing and therefore, your surrounding environment. Take 20% off your purchase with discount code RISEANDREST20 at checkout today.
