Working mothers lacking support at work: Survey

But many think parenthood has increased work motivation, productivity

Although many working mothers have professional ambitions and feel empowered by their jobs, many are facing challenges due to a lack of child-care benefits offered by their workplaces, according to a survey by Care.com.

Nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of organizations in the United States do not offer child-care benefits to their employees, found the survey.

Less than one-fifth (18 per cent) offer flex-spending accounts; six per cent offer on-site child care; five per cent offer emergency back-up care; and four per cent subsidize child care.

About four in 10 working moms (39 per cent) had to miss work during the last year because of a child-care issue, found the survey of 1,000 working American women with children under age 18.

"Working moms enjoy what they do, most love being a great role model for their children and many feel more creative and motivated as a working-parent and even feel they add a better perspective at their jobs now that they are moms," said Katie Bugbee, managing editor of Care.com. "This survey makes it clear that much still needs to be done in the workplace to support them in motherhood.”

The majority of working mothers (78 per cent) enjoy being a working parent and one-half think that working enables them to be strong role models for their children, found the survey.

But moms aren't content with feeling "mommy tracked" in the office. Nearly six out of 10 working moms (58 per cent) aspire to move higher in the professional ranks. And promotion feels possible. Nearly eight in 10 (78 per cent) do not feel that they have been passed over for a promotion because of a perceived lack of commitment to work, found the survey.

Since becoming a working parent, four out of 10 working moms feel that working makes them more creative as a parent and that being a parent has added perspective that enhances their contributions at work. Thirty-two per cent feel that they are more motivated to work and take on new roles since becoming a parent, and three out of 10 (29 per cent) feel that they are more productive now than they were before children, found the survey.

More than three-quarters of working moms (77 per cent) have a spouse or partner who participates in the raising of their children. Among those, nine out of 10 (89 per cent) feel that their spouse/partner supports their career goals. And the feelings of “mommy guilt” appear to be abating, as 64 per cent don't feel that the demands of their job interfere with their ability to be a good parent.

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