A Closer Look at the Policies Supporting Working Mothers Today

When you hear of policies supporting working mothers, what comes to mind? To some it might involve parental leave, to others it might include back-up care or paid time off. The goal is to maintain a well-balanced set of policies and benefits that can evolve along with your employees’ life changes. 

What are the best workplace policies for mothers?

As organizations focus on investing in the health and wellbeing of their employees to retain their best talent, the spotlight shines bright on workplaces that support caregivers. The Best Place for Working Parents “Top 10” list includes healthcare coverage, paid time off, parental leave, and childcare. Let’s take a closer look at these and a few more not on the list.

Company-paid healthcare coverage

Most employers offer healthcare coverage for their employees. However, standout employers include additional benefits such as fertility treatment and supplemental mental health programs. Some employers offer a no deductible plan or pay a portion of the family’s out of pocket expenses.

Paid time off

Paid time off or PTO (traditionally called vacation time) provides the flexibility for mothers to manage vacations and personal needs without financial stress. But according to Mercer, PTO alone is not enough. Employees are now looking for additional options such as wellness days, religious and cultural observance days, and volunteer days. Mercer also states “vacation and time-off is one of the top five reasons employees stay at their job.” In addition to paid time off, top employers offer paid sick leave regardless of if they are in one of the 18 states that requires paid sick leave. Offering paid sick leave and a prorated amount of PTO to all employees, including part-time and hourly, creates an equitable workplace that supports mothers.

Parental leave

The federal government only requires private-sector employers with 50+ employees to give eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave following the birth or adoption of a new baby. However, this Family and Medical Leave Act excludes all small businesses and public-sector employees, and is no longer considered the standard.

About a dozen states have enacted legislation to enforce paid parental leave but employers who simply follow these minimum standards are not competitive. As a Parentaly report points out, 94% of mothers would consider parental leave when assessing job offers today, meaning employers not offering paid parental leave miss out on top candidates. 

>> Check out this comprehensive checklist to assess your parental leave policy.

Nursing benefits

Nursing benefits, such as lactation rooms and paid breaks, enable mothers to continue breastfeeding or pumping milk for their babies while at work, which promotes their baby's health and development and strengthens the mother-child bond. The PUMP Act requires employers to accommodate nursing parents. While lactation rooms are great, in a recent blog post, we covered six ways employers can take their nursing benefits to the next level. 

Childcare

"Childcare has become the make-or-break benefit for employees," according to the Boston Business Journal. Child care policies can take many forms, including offering flexible spending accounts for pre-tax child care payments, hosting on-site child care, providing backup childcare, or giving subsidies or stipends. Employers are also adding back-up child care programs to help during school days off. Recent studies have shown an incredible return-on-investment for companies who invest in childcare benefits, including something as simple as backup childcare.

Flexible work structures

In the “Working Mothers Speak: 2023 Report”, nearly 9 out of 10 survey participants listed flexibility as the top factor to feeling supported at work. Many employers continue to offer hybrid or remote work options for eligible roles following the pandemic. However, leading employers are now implementing additional policies such as reduced work weeks or job sharing, which allows employees to divide the hours of a single role.

Career growth and development

In addition to policies helping with parental needs, some of the top employers for working mothers actively support career growth and development of all employees by offering professional development funds or leadership coaching. Implementing these policies is the first step. Leaders should regularly assess that career development policies are administered consistently and equitably to attract and retain working moms.

What are other policies?

Other policies can help improve the wellbeing of not just working mothers, but all employees.

• Clear and transparent promotion policies
• Pregnant Workers Fairness Act Policy
• Paid medical leave
• Sabbatical
• Tuition assistance and student loan repayment
• Financial advising
• Wellness programs
• First-time home-buying support

Why policies supporting working mothers are good for everyone

Policies are beneficial for everyone in several ways:

• Improved employee retention: Offering paid leave and flexible work options reduces turnover (which costs employers a trillion dollars each year), as working mothers are more likely to stay with employers who support their family needs, saving companies the cost of rehiring and training.
• Boost in workplace productivity: When mothers have access to paid leave and child care support, they can focus better on their tasks without the constant stress of juggling work and family, leading to increased productivity. In fact, companies that invest in child care benefits see up to a 425% return-on-investment.
• Diversity leads to better economic outcomes: Keeping mothers in your workplace increases gender diversity, which has been shown to improve innovation, problem-solving, and decision-making ⸺ all key competencies for any business today. As reported by the European Investment Bank: “Research from the International Monetary Fund suggests that narrowing the gender gap in labor markets could increase GDP in emerging markets and developing economies by almost 8%.”
• Healthier children and families: Policies like paid maternity leave allow mothers to recover from childbirth and bond with their newborns, which can improve both maternal and child health, leading to fewer long-term health costs for society.
  
• Increased loyalty and engagement: According to a Mental Health America study, having a supportive manager and psychological safety can go a long way for retention and attracting new candidates, with 84% of participants stating they would likely recommend their workplace to a friend, with these supportive elements in place.

So what’s next?

While some companies have made progress on the basics, specifically parental leave, little improvement has been made on policies that actually keep mothers at work. “When comparing women’s labor force participation rates in the 15 countries with the largest GDPs per capita, the U.S. came in last.” As described in The Cost of Doing Nothing report, the Department of Labor attributes this dismal statistic to a lack of investment and oversight of paid sick leave, paid family and medical leave, child care, workplace flexibility, overtime protections, and predictable scheduling. 

Business leaders in all sectors must take action. We know that policies supporting working mothers benefit everyone and impact return-on-investment. Ultimately, when mothers thrive, communities and businesses thrive too, making it a win for everyone. Need guidance in figuring out next steps? Let us help!