Navigating Early Motherhood & My Career 🫠 Corporate Wellbeing Advocate & Speaker - Early Stage Startup Consultant & Advisor for Innovative Health & Caregiving Solutions
I now have 7 friends who, in the last year, quit their full time jobs after having a child. These women are such rockstars and I’m sure their companies were devastated when they gave notice. When I asked them if they would have stayed - if part time, reduced hours (and a revised version of their job) would have been presented as an option - every single person said yes. Every single one!!! Extended leave is great. Paid, extended leave is even better. Flexibility and WFH upon return is critical. But, companies have got to start having a conversation around how to modify and adjust senior, executive level jobs. Leaders are simply losing too many amazing, seasoned professionals with an all or nothing employment model. That is all. Happy Tuesday!
When I had my first child, a colleague at Meta (then Facebook) who was the same professional level as me, on the same team, basically doing the same job, had a child the same week. When we were close to returning to work, we asked whether Meta would have us back on a job-share basis: each of us would work 3 days, with half a day handover where we were both there together. We'd even do it for 2.5 days salary, so it would cost the company nothing more (other than benefits); they'd get two experienced staff returning to work, and a headcount freed up to hire someone new too. It seemed like a win-win. We were told a flat no. Meta doesn't do job share. I returned taking a day a week as unpaid Parental leave, but soon realised I was doing 100% of my role for 80% of my salary, in 80% of time. Disaster with a small toddler at home. My colleague had another child within 2 years and quit straight afterwards. She's now a SAHM. I lasted another 4 years until my second child, then quit too. I'm now self-employed and working (successfully) the hours that suit my family.
How are corporate leaders not looking at this as a workforce issue instead of relegating it to a women’s issue? It’s 2024 and people should not be getting pushed out of the workplace due to insufficient leave and flexibility policies. What does this say about corporate social values and the lack of accountability for companies letting this mass exodus of institutional knowledge and industry leaders just happen and acting like they are clueless about how to FIX IT 😵💫😖🫠
Kate Lewis
1mo
I agree!!! This is my experience as well. Thus the rise of Fractional consulting work! 15 years ago I influenced a company to hire a return to work mom who only wanted part time hours, so she could still get kids off bus from school without after school childcare. And we were able to convince them to hire her as a contractor part time, and she remained employed there for 8 years. Employees are loyal when their companies provide flexible work environments to meet their needs. Not all jobs needs to be 40+ hours a week, pay for the expertise and experience you need in fractional consultant. I know lots of moms and late in career people who have lots of knowledge and skills to share and add value , but they just want and need flexibile schedules.
Not to mention - what if they could share their FTPs with a partner job sharing while being better in their jobs leveraging two skill sets? At Work Muse, we design job share programs to recruit and retain diverse talent (ie moms) - with training, implementation, and support. Those teams are 30% more productive than FTEs Bar none. Women can’t wait. They have to self advocate. I find it interesting they can afford to drop out altogether. Curious if they are all in the SF area?
Adrian Jank
1mo
This is so incredibly true. The model of employment and the value of an employee is extremely warped. I imagine a complete rethink in most organizations would keep more valuable talent around, especially women. It would also help men as well who'd rather have flexibility as well. Overall it could create a world where families can work AND care for their family. I've spent nearly 3 years being a caretaker for my wife and our family as she went through her journey with cancer. Some of that time I spent time trying to balance work and caring for the family and part of the time not working at all. What it has exposed is society isn't set up to help parents.
Brea Starmer
1mo
Lions & Tigers helps with this exact problem. When HR can't keep up with flexible-enough policies, we keep these talented folks in the workforce through fractional consulting engagements. We work every day with progressive leaders that know the value of building a BLENDED workforce of employees + non-employees to ensure teams are diverse enough to hit their business outcomes. (77% of our team are women + majority are caretakers)
As a woman and mother in the workplace, I've witnessed first hand, many times, all gender colleagues express whether or not a woman will even return the workplace if she's out on maternity leave. As though there is a strong liklihood she will abandon her career to be a full time mom. This mindset is a bias and whether acknowledged or not, leads to many talented mothers in the work place being passed for promotions and other advancement opportunities. Employers often have the bias that mothers in the workplace will also take more days off than non parental and other gendered peers. This thinking often leads to less challenging assignments or critical projects given out to others on the team. I've thrived in environments that promote having families with extended time off/flexibility to work hybrid, etc. So, not lost on me what a benefit this is. Walgreens promoted women while pregnant, provided extended parental leave to all genders. I'd love to see this level of flexibility, where appropriate given scope of role/etc, afforded to all genders, regardless of reason. The more we support our workforce, we will all enjoy better engagement, productivity and talent development.
Robynn Storey
1mo
Kaleana Quibell This is such a sad and eye opening story. Do companies care about retaining amazing female talent? Thats the first question. And let’s face it….women and moms get shit done. They absolutely can be moms and amazing employees who contribute critical skills and talent to their employers. If only companies could get over themselves and create a new way to work….it benefits everyone.
Passionate Marketing Leader Helping Great Brands Grow
1moIn 2008, the man I worked for changed my career trajectory forever. I went on maternity leave in December 2007. After my child was born, I simply couldn't go back to the office. When I told my boss, he said "Just work from home." (I worked on commission so my productivity wasn't in question.) Fast forward 2 years, I was working from home with a toddler running around. Making prospecting calls was difficult. I needed to get back into an office without missing out on my child growing up. The same boss said "I'll give you an hourly wage. Keep your commission. Come and go as you please." No set schedule. No hoops. Just an offer to let me transition back to the office at my own pace. When my child was ready for preschool and I was ready to be in the office full-time but couldn't figure out how to afford the cost of a good preschool, the same boss said "Here's a raise, plus a monthly stipend to cover half of your preschool costs." I stayed with the company for 8 more years. I helped pave the way for a successful acquisition. I developed the skills that are at the heart of my career today. To him, It was just good business sense---making it possible for a valuable employee to work for his company and care for her family.