The Mommy Factor: Tips for Retention of Working Moms

Image source: Blog.WeMothers.com

With recruiting costs to fill positions averaging 1.5 times annual salary, worker retention is critical. And one worker demographic in particular is at high risk for job abandonment – working moms – particularly new working mothers who choose to not return after giving birth. Unfortunately some businesses seem to think it’s okay to let valuable employees walk away after they become moms but in fact, they’re losing assets needlessly.

When Google crunched the numbers and realized it was losing a large percentage of its female employees, they dug deeper into the data for solutions. As a result, Google was able to cut their attrition of women in half! Is your company suffering from a similar loss of working moms – either immediately following birth or in later stages? Here’s some tips for retention of working moms:

Image source: ThinkProgress.org

Google once offered three months of maternity leave, but their data analysis revealed that expanding this program was instrumental in keeping women on board. They bumped the months allowed to five and saw retention soar. If your company doesn’t offer maternity leave at all, that’s a huge barrier. And while you may think you can’t afford to offer this leave, consider how much it will cost to replace the staffer. You may find it’s cheaper to offer the leave than lose the staffer!

Another program that offers a huge loyalty incentive to working moms is a flexible work schedule. Allowing moms to come in earlier and leave earlier, work half days from home or a truncated work week (longer hours for four days with the fifth day off) may give them the work-life balance they need to feel like they’re not prioritizing work above their children. A flexible schedule should not be an efficiency hit – you may even end up with higher productivity because of lessened stress levels!

Image source: Whyy.org

One important factor for many working moms who have recently given birth is the ability to pump breast milk at work. If there’s no private place for nursing moms to pump undisturbed, this may cause stress and tip the scales for a woman who’s weighing whether to leave or not. Offering a relaxing private space (with a door that locks) for female staffers to pump milk and even reimbursing for rental of a high quality breast pump can be huge retention incentives that show the company is supportive. 96% of Working Mother magazine’s 100 Best Companies offer lactation programs.

For those companies with bigger budgets, on-site daycare can be a huge retention boon. Female staffers who have to combat rush hour traffic to pick up their children from daycare can be a huge morale drain and may tip the scales to job abandonment. BTWs – working dads will also appreciate the daycare at work. This can make a huge difference in retention efforts because it eases stress, guilt and allows for working moms to feel comfortable that they are not far from their children in case they’re needed!

Image source: CourierMail.com.au

Some jobs, such as 3D visual effects design, are perfect for telecommuting where there is a high degree of autonomy and deliverables schedule that doesn’t necessitate an in-office presence. Many jobs can incorporate elements of telecommuting that allow working moms to work from home when their children are sick or work from home half days or set days each week. Knowing you have the option to be there when your child needs you while still meeting work responsibilities is a great work-life balance option that can increase retention!

Some jobs aren’t conducive to flex time, telecommuting or on-site daycare. For instance Dr. Bella Zimilevich says, “As a medical professional, flexible hours were never really an option for me, but I decided to work rather than stay home because of how much I enjoy what I do for a living. A job you really enjoy is a huge inducement for professional moms to come back instead of staying home.” But even those jobs that demand an in-office, standard hour presence can still implement programs such as lactation space and maternity leave that generate goodwill. Creating a positive work environment where all employees (and not just working moms) are engaged and appreciate will go a long way to reducing needless attrition.

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