Moms who work are superwomen as they are never off duty since they have to check off all the boxes of their to-do list daily, be it in their own space or in the corporate world. 

Balancing motherhood and work is one of the trickiest acts but working mothers leave no stone unturned while juggling between diapers and deadlines. But do you know “according to a recent news report, 50% of working women in the country leave their jobs to take care of their children at the age of 30. Even among those who manage to return, 48 percent drop out within four months of re-joining the workforce”.

Its high time that companies must focus on creating policies that provide more work-life balance for working moms and create a work culture that gives them the on-the-job support they need.

Here are some ways workplaces can modify the policies that can help them retain their talented working moms for long. 

Maternity Leave

Maternity is a time when a mom undergoes concerns about the health of her own and her baby, family matters and the corporate world should try to understand the concerns and look out for possible ways to keep mothers stress-free and relaxed. During such times, a minimum of 6 months of full pay maternity leave can be provided so that a mother can manage her personal roles. Along with this, it is also suggested to personally visit and keep a check on the associated mothers and their babies to know how they are doing as it helps in maintaining a sense of belongingness.

Work from Home

According to reports most women quit their jobs post-maternity leave as it’s tough for the new mom to get back to work with a little one at home. So an extended work from home or hybrid way can help mothers bond well with their baby, take care of the physical needs. This will keep the working mom stress free too and as said a “happy employee is more productive and dedicated”.

No question asked Leave

A mother barely thinks of taking leave for herself as she prioritizes everything above her so organizations can implement a “no question asked leave” policy for everyone in their employee welfare toolkit. This way working mothers can take a day off just to relax and spend quality time with little ones.

Flexibility & Balance

Moms on WFH can be provided with flexibility while not being bound to fixed working hours. Since working from home with a little one for a long time can get tough, therefore, flexibility for mothers can include early login and freedom to determine their work schedules, this will help drive productivity and performance too. 

Medical Assistance

Every parent wants their child to get the best medical treatment and associated facilities during and post-delivery. Hence, workplaces can provide their peers with insurance to seek the best medical aid possible where the new born child also gets covered under it.  Companies can also provide childcare benefits making childcare accessible and affordable to empower working mothers to balance their responsibilities.

Apart from policies, empathy also plays an important role to make working moms at the workplace comfortable and stress-free. HR should reach out to them as this takes the weight of asking for help off their shoulders and shows that the company cares for them. 

I believe that if we come together, share our stories, and encourage others we can create a workplace environment that is supportive and organizations have the opportunity to stay ahead of the curve.