MamaZen’s Post

Historically, men worked and women looked after the home, but in recent years women need to work and work, motherhood and housework can be a huge burden. This article explores the physical and cognitive challenges involved. #motherhood #housework #mentalhealth

Disapointing to read the findings of Bright Horizon's new report that reveals that "working parents find their employers less sympathetic than they were a year ago and working mothers are disproportionately impacted."  The reality is that 1 in 5 women will be thinking about leaving work within 5 years after the birth of their first child. How is this still a reality? Providing the right kind of physical and mental health support for parents pre and post-birth is crucial if to we want great people to return to work. In those early weeks, months and years we're expecting our working parents to crack sleeping, weaning, childcare and get everything else under control. Super human if they can, but this doesn't simply come from standard parental leave, reduced maternity pay and an EAP for mental health support. 1 in 5 women will develop mental health problems during the perinatal period, along with 1 in 8 men too. We as employers have a responsibility to our employees to create awareness and implement support networks to mitigate this as much as possible, in turn making it smoother and calmer for parents to return to work happily - a win, win for everyone. At doddl we hear the concerns from parents first hand, reflecting everything in this report. Parents struggling to find a win, looking to solve every day problems, juggling complex responsibilities and trying to find solutions that balance their caring responsibilities with their career aspirations. As this report states "No working parent in the 21st century expects to sacrifice career to raise a family" and nor should they have to. BrightHorizons WorkingParents   https://lnkd.in/d7dJGqZq

Prioritizing Women's Well-being How can employers' boost women's mental health + wellbeing? Not doing so can result in lost productivity or churn in the workforce when women must choose between family obligations + professional opportunities. To retain female talent, consider tailored benefits, from fertility + expectancy support to daycare options to menopause care. On the job, assess + provide pay equity + career advancement mentorship + opportunities. In addition, comprehensive caregiving support + flexible schedules can reduce stress while increasing job satisfaction among women. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gFpbSpCM

The mental health crisis among working women has reached a critical point, driven by factors like increased caregiving responsibilities, pay inequities, and reduced flexibility post-pandemic. This is not taking into account that even on a dual-earner household, women tend to have the majority of the parenting responsibilities. Women have accounted for a significant rise in mental health leaves, with 71% in early 2024 alone. Issues such as burnout, depression, and stress are particularly pronounced, demanding employer support through mental health benefits, childcare assistance, and pay equity efforts. Addressing these challenges isn't just beneficial for women—it leads to increased retention and productivity for employers. I could share a few personal stories about this topic but i will leave it for another day. If you found this insightful please like and share.

Providing support to new moms in the workforce isn't just about what's morally right; it's also a smart business decision with tangible economic benefits. Studies show that untreated postpartum depression (PPD) can cost employers an estimated $6,223 per woman in lost productivity. Business leaders must work to create supportive cultures with mental health care tailored to preventing and addressing this. https://bit.ly/3VwtJCo #WomeninResearch #MRX #MarketResearch #Motherhood #Postpartum

While progress has been made in supporting new parents in the workforce, the challenges of balancing work and parenting persist. Female CEOs, in particular, face unique pressures in managing both career and family responsibilities. I'm inspired by the example Alyson (Friedensohn) Watson sets at Modern Health. Her recent article in Entrepreneur sheds light on the real issues many mothers face at work. It emphasizes the importance, and positive business impact, of employers supporting employees through this significant life transition. Read more about this crucial topic in Alyson's article: https://lnkd.in/gGPY3-hb #WorkingParents #EmployeeWellbeing #MentalHealthAtWork

"Let's break the burnout cycle of women employees at workplace". Studies reveal that burnout, characterized by emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion from prolonged stress and overwork, disproportionately affects women. Their additional responsibilities outside of work, such as caregiving and household chores, make them particularly susceptible. Even women in top positions, who have historically felt the need to work harder than men, are experiencing burnout at alarming rates today. Contact us to know more about our women employee wellness program! or click here to know more: https://lnkd.in/gdMkawTp #hr #womenatwork #womenempowerment #womeninbusiness #women #womenentrepreneurs #humanresource #ceo #founders #corporatehr #corporatehealth #corporatehealth #womenhealth #womenhealthmatters #pregnancyhealth #pregnancy

This is an area that requires rethinking and sensitising. When I was a young mother to a 2-year-old and had just returned to a full-time job, there were instances when I would have to attend to my child by being there emotionally for him even while I was at work. The founder said that my child was 'clingy'. This, when my work was put up as exemplary. As moms, we feel that the opportunity to work itself is huge, so how does one talk about a slight like this? It's not just about women. What about those managing ailing parents or a father marking time as a caretaker? I guess the change will happen when we recognise we have humans working and these humans have responsibilities outside of office as well. #workplace #balancedwork

‘𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐬’ 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐨𝐨! Mommy burnout is a tough idea to come to terms with for many because it's hardly a concept that’s acknowledged. According to McKinsey & Company, working moms are 1.5 times more likely to feel burned out than other employees because ‘parenting’ is completely weighed down on the woman. The term ‘working mother’ is the starting point of mommy burnout because it suggests that a professionally employed woman is the sole caretaker of her #children. It also implies that, along with a career, she ‘obviously’ has to manage motherhood exclusively because there is no such thing as a ‘working father’. Also, if a woman aims for growth in her #career, the responsibility of a child often holds her back. As reported by McKinsey, 57% of women with children under the age of five have felt that they cannot step up in their role because of their childcare #responsibilities, with only 38% of men reported to have felt the same. Unsurprisingly, the reason for such stark differences between working men and women is the unequal divide at home in household chores, the lack of #support in child upbringing, and the societal expectation from women to do it all. A working woman is naturally expected to be exhausted and fatigued. However, it’s imperative to accept that it’s not possible to ‘do it all’ without mental and physical #health implications. Motherhood is here to stay, and so are women’s careers. So, #professional spaces must become more accessible for working women with children. Organisations must become more inclusive with policies that favour women who have kids. Factors like a #flexibleworking culture, creche facilities, in-house therapists, and promotions to keep them motivated can make a huge difference in the lives of mothers who are competent at work and wish to climb great heights professionally. It is crucial to accept that mothers don’t NEED to be superheroes in everything, and delegating tasks to other members of the family can help ease the burden. Setting boundaries between how much you can do and how much is expected of you is key to removing the burden of #societal norms. While it is true in most cases that a young person needs her or his mother the most as a constant, it is also important to understand that apart from being a mother, a woman is also an individual with #dreams and aspirations for her life. The expectation that a woman’s ambitions matter only until she has a child must be replaced with motivation, a supportive environment at home, encouraging peers, and #opportunities that help her further her goals. To reduce a woman’s #purpose in life to just the upbringing of her child is not only unfair but also disappointing because it leaves no room for her talents and skills to blossom. Wouldn’t we rather have our children learn the value of passions and dreams over gender norms? #womensday #womensupportingwomen #thebridge

Here's an event for the women in law.