Some mothers return to the workplace full of enthusiasm, only to discover that their position has been changed or that they are no longer seen as professionals just as capable as before entering the child-raising leave.
How many employers offer them real support when mothers face difficulties in maintaining the balance between job and family life? How prepared are companies to listen to and respond to the needs of mothers who return after child-raising leave?
3 out of 4 mothers resign from their job in the first 18 months after returning from child-raising leave (2024 Parentaly and Edge Research Study).
For many women, returning to work is not just a professional transition, but also an emotional one, marked by the pressure to prove they are just as efficient, to reintegrate into a team that may have evolved without them, and to find a balance between family life and professional life. Some companies have support policies, but others consider that a child-raising leave is a minus in a career. What impact does this mentality have on retention and performance in organizations? How can we support mothers who are taking care of the future generation of employees?
Andreea Dumitrescu, Senior Recruitment Manager BIA HCS, who also initiated a career counseling project for mothers, talks about these challenges they go through when they return to the job, but also about what employers can do to support mothers.
Tell us what the approach of mothers is towards the job after finishing the child-raising leave, and the approach of companies towards mothers?
I have encountered various approaches, both from employers and from mothers. There are mothers who, knowing the organizational environment in which they worked, no longer want to return to the employer from whom they went on child-raising leave and choose to find a new job when they have to resume activity. Another type of mother is those dependent on the job, who, after only a few months of maternity or child-raising leave, resume activity. Some mothers set as an objective to return for a few months to their old employer, during which time they search for a new job.
There are, of course, also happy cases where mothers resume the position they held before the child-raising leave. There are companies that, for execution roles, divide the duties in the department until the future mother returns. For leadership positions, they look for a replacement for the period of child-raising leave. The approach of companies can also be different depending on their size, the importance of the position, and the company policy. There are employers where the HR department offers support to mothers when they return to the company, having clear integration policies developed. Before the pandemic, when there was no possibility of hybrid work, some companies offered a number of days for caring for a sick child; space for breastfeeding, space for relaxation, free daycare near the workplace, and free counseling for mothers.
The data from the most recent study conducted by the site airost.ro shows that 43% of respondents spend on average 120 hours per month on housework. To these, add 160 hours for the job and you have 280 hours. Another 240 hours for sleep (8 hours x 30 days) and you have 520 hours out of 720 hours/month. There are 200 hours left, of which a large part is consumed on overtime, commutes to and from work, picking up children, extra kindergarten and school activities. And so mothers end up having no time for themselves, which reflects on family life and at the job.
What are the needs of mothers who return to work after maternity leave?
Returning to the workplace after child-raising leave can be approached case by case, as the needs of mothers are different. The needs of a mother who is a kindergarten teacher are different from those of a mother who works in a multinational. Different factors can influence the mother’s needs, I mean stress, pressure, support, colleagues, and superiors.
In my interaction with mothers who have returned from child-raising leave, I noticed their need for belonging, their need to prove they are just as prepared as before motherhood, the need for support and communication in departments.
How willing are employers to develop programs/policies for mothers who return to work after child-raising leave?
Some employers have developed internally reintegration policies for mothers when returning from child-raising leave. But unfortunately, there are also employers for whom child-raising leave is “a minus” in a career, they consider that women forget information, that they are no longer up to date with legislative changes, or employers for whom the reintegration of mothers is not a priority.
Are there companies on the Romanian market that have asked for your help to develop reintegration programs for mothers?
I wish there were more companies involved in reintegration programs for mothers, as this would be beneficial both for mothers and for the employer. Support from the employer, here I refer to the direct boss, colleagues, is reflected in the efficiency and results of the employee. And implicitly in the results of the company. So far, I have not received requests from companies to develop integration programs.
The idea for the BIA HCS project for career counseling for mothers and people 45+ came after several interviews with these candidates who were looking for a job or who had a job, but which no longer satisfied them. Their desire to describe certain moments they went through at jobs made me want to offer them support, validation, and confidence that they can follow their path.
91% of working Americans said that mothers bring unique skills to the job, such as communication, multitasking, keeping calm in difficult situations, and leadership. (Bright Horizons study)
What should you do to integrate mothers into your company
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Reintegration programs for mothers at the job, carried out 5–6 months before returning to work;
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Internal support communities;
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Psychological support. Only 18% of mothers receive psychological counseling according to the Airost.ro study.
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Flexibility in the schedule;
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Partnerships with kindergartens and nurseries to financially support mothers.
Above all, encourage mothers to talk about their needs
Because, as Atena Boca also mentions in Everything begins with a mother book:
We can wait for companies to change their attitude towards motherhood and their employees. We can wait for society to value more the role of the mother, to understand that an unseen, unheard, unsupported mother in the beginning period will raise children the same. The children of tomorrow’s society. […] The solution is to find the most effective way that suits all parties involved.
At work, a frustrated employee thinking about home will never be more efficient. They will resign when they have the opportunity, and for companies this comes with a high cost. […] Companies are looking for good people. They never want to lose a high-performing person and most are willing to renegotiate the terms. Maybe not entirely, but enough for balance to exist.
Work with a recruitment agency that offers support for integrating mothers
BIA Human Capital Solutions has an inclusive approach in recruitment and supports mothers in their career. In this regard, we offer mothers professional counseling, because we have noticed their difficulty in getting hired, either due to burnout, or from fear that they do not have the necessary skills for an interview. All you have to do is write to us at biaoffice@bia.ro (if you are an employer and plan to create an integration plan for mothers at the job) or at recrutare@bia.ro (if you are a candidate and want career counseling).
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