he COVID-19 pandemic highlights the extreme challenge of working parenthood in America. Prior to the pandemic, two-thirds of all working parents already felt like they were failing at parenting and half of millennial mothers changed their job status after the birth of a child, either by changing jobs or fully or partially leaving the workforce . Meanwhile only about 20% of U.S. employees have access to paid family leave. The lack of universal childcare and rising costs contribute to the inability of mothers to gain significant traction in narrowing the leadership and wage gaps across gender lines, with. All of this has historically contributed to the Maternal Wall—the biases that undermine the career advancement of working mothers. The Maternal Wall is rising and it is now so high that everyone should be able to see it.
Childcare disruptions and widespread school closures caused by the pandemic have exposed the patchwork of solutions working parents regularly navigate for what it is really is—a broken system. The ongoing challenges of the virus have already left their mark as mothers leave or are let go at higher rates than men. In fact, mothers have reduced their paid work hours 4 -5 times more than fathers. Mothers, even those still working full-time, are doing a “double-double shift,” averaging 71 hours of care and housework per week, while fathers are doing about 20 hours less.
So, where do we go from here? How do we move forward to support working parents and ensure that all parents, but especially working mothers, are not left behind as a result of the pandemic? The future of work and parenting needs to consider a few key factors.
1) Men are caretakers too;
2) National paid family;
3) Flexible work.
Men are caretakers too.
Before the pandemic, most Americans thought that parenting and having a career were in direct conflict with each other. The pandemic has brought this issue into clearer focus. Yet, whether they are aware of it or not, most people tend to think that women should be the primary caretaker even though 78% of millennials are part of a dual career couple.
However, when you look at pretty much any recent research, millennial dads want to be involved in caretaking responsibilities. But it’s not enough that dads want to be there. Employers must grant them the ability and time to do so. Throughout this pandemic, both moms and dads share that they feel men are expected to have someone else handling the childcare and thus should be solely focused on work. They don’t feel they can step away or set boundaries to care for their children, even if their partner is also working full time. And the data supports this sentiment, the gender gap in work hours is increasing 20-50 percent. Yet employers have an opportunity to make changes that support more gender equity, from simply continuing to communicate that leadership recognize and supports that all parents need more flexibility to updated policies do be more equitable, such as paid parental leave.
National Paid Family Leave Boosts Wellness, Gender Equity
National paid family leave is an absolute must. Only 20% of Americans normally have access to paid family and medical leave and while congress did create some paid family and medical leave for some U.S. employees it expires at the end of 2020. Prior to the pandemic, we were already in a situation where Americans are unable to care for themselves, their children or family members without the risk of going into debt or job loss. As the only industrialized country without a national paid family leave policy, we can no longer ignore the impact it has on families. A national paid family leave policy prioritizes the health and wellness of families and can have a significant impact on gender equity. However, that impact can only be realized if paid family leave is equal, adequate, and accessible.
Equal—ALL parents need to have access to paid family leave, not just birthing parents or the perceived “primary” caregiver. Time needs to also be provided to non-birthing, adoptive, and foster parents.
Adequate—Leave length must be enough to support the health and wellness of those we are caring for, namely children. Research from the New America Foundation supports six months of leave.
Accessible—This may be the trickiest aspect for Americans and why the move from employer benefits to a national policy is so critical. Right now, parental leave is used as a recruitment tool with the best policies only accessible for top, corporate employees. However, the people who need these policies most are left behind. Creating a national policy gives families what they need most—support and time to care for their loved one with the added benefit of dismantling underlying gender biases. If partners take leave, this not only normalizes the practice, but neutralizes the office environment that stigmatizes working mothers.
Emphasize Workplace Flexibility
One silver lining that has come out of the pandemic is that we have demonstrated that is possible for work to be done remotely and flexibly. Even in jobs that require physical presence, new technologies make it easier for employees to control and flex their schedules. While there is a lot to be said for large structural changes like universal childcare, when it comes to parenting and work, flexibility is a start. Providing employees with the flexibility of how and when their work gets done is key to engaging and retaining working parents.
The COVID-19 crisis has put a spotlight on working parenthood, that cannot be unseen. There can be no going back to what we now recognize, more than ever, is a broken system. As we look towards the future, we must focus on updating policies and support for parents. We must build and re-imagine workplace cultures that recognize the impact, socially and economically, for supporting working parents to creating a new future that includes working parents.
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Scaling the Maternal Wall after COVID-19
August 12, 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the extreme challenge of working parenthood in America. National paid family leave is a must to address this challenge.
T
he COVID-19 pandemic highlights the extreme challenge of working parenthood in America. Prior to the pandemic, two-thirds of all working parents already felt like they were failing at parenting and half of millennial mothers changed their job status after the birth of a child, either by changing jobs or fully or partially leaving the workforce . Meanwhile only about 20% of U.S. employees have access to paid family leave. The lack of universal childcare and rising costs contribute to the inability of mothers to gain significant traction in narrowing the leadership and wage gaps across gender lines, with. All of this has historically contributed to the Maternal Wall—the biases that undermine the career advancement of working mothers. The Maternal Wall is rising and it is now so high that everyone should be able to see it.
Childcare disruptions and widespread school closures caused by the pandemic have exposed the patchwork of solutions working parents regularly navigate for what it is really is—a broken system. The ongoing challenges of the virus have already left their mark as mothers leave or are let go at higher rates than men. In fact, mothers have reduced their paid work hours 4 -5 times more than fathers. Mothers, even those still working full-time, are doing a “double-double shift,” averaging 71 hours of care and housework per week, while fathers are doing about 20 hours less.
So, where do we go from here? How do we move forward to support working parents and ensure that all parents, but especially working mothers, are not left behind as a result of the pandemic? The future of work and parenting needs to consider a few key factors.
1) Men are caretakers too;
2) National paid family;
3) Flexible work.
Men are caretakers too.
Before the pandemic, most Americans thought that parenting and having a career were in direct conflict with each other. The pandemic has brought this issue into clearer focus. Yet, whether they are aware of it or not, most people tend to think that women should be the primary caretaker even though 78% of millennials are part of a dual career couple.
However, when you look at pretty much any recent research, millennial dads want to be involved in caretaking responsibilities. But it’s not enough that dads want to be there. Employers must grant them the ability and time to do so. Throughout this pandemic, both moms and dads share that they feel men are expected to have someone else handling the childcare and thus should be solely focused on work. They don’t feel they can step away or set boundaries to care for their children, even if their partner is also working full time. And the data supports this sentiment, the gender gap in work hours is increasing 20-50 percent. Yet employers have an opportunity to make changes that support more gender equity, from simply continuing to communicate that leadership recognize and supports that all parents need more flexibility to updated policies do be more equitable, such as paid parental leave.
National Paid Family Leave Boosts Wellness, Gender Equity
National paid family leave is an absolute must. Only 20% of Americans normally have access to paid family and medical leave and while congress did create some paid family and medical leave for some U.S. employees it expires at the end of 2020. Prior to the pandemic, we were already in a situation where Americans are unable to care for themselves, their children or family members without the risk of going into debt or job loss. As the only industrialized country without a national paid family leave policy, we can no longer ignore the impact it has on families. A national paid family leave policy prioritizes the health and wellness of families and can have a significant impact on gender equity. However, that impact can only be realized if paid family leave is equal, adequate, and accessible.
Equal—ALL parents need to have access to paid family leave, not just birthing parents or the perceived “primary” caregiver. Time needs to also be provided to non-birthing, adoptive, and foster parents.
Adequate—Leave length must be enough to support the health and wellness of those we are caring for, namely children. Research from the New America Foundation supports six months of leave.
Accessible—This may be the trickiest aspect for Americans and why the move from employer benefits to a national policy is so critical. Right now, parental leave is used as a recruitment tool with the best policies only accessible for top, corporate employees. However, the people who need these policies most are left behind. Creating a national policy gives families what they need most—support and time to care for their loved one with the added benefit of dismantling underlying gender biases. If partners take leave, this not only normalizes the practice, but neutralizes the office environment that stigmatizes working mothers.
Emphasize Workplace Flexibility
One silver lining that has come out of the pandemic is that we have demonstrated that is possible for work to be done remotely and flexibly. Even in jobs that require physical presence, new technologies make it easier for employees to control and flex their schedules. While there is a lot to be said for large structural changes like universal childcare, when it comes to parenting and work, flexibility is a start. Providing employees with the flexibility of how and when their work gets done is key to engaging and retaining working parents.
The COVID-19 crisis has put a spotlight on working parenthood, that cannot be unseen. There can be no going back to what we now recognize, more than ever, is a broken system. As we look towards the future, we must focus on updating policies and support for parents. We must build and re-imagine workplace cultures that recognize the impact, socially and economically, for supporting working parents to creating a new future that includes working parents.
