Working mothers have always had multiple roles to play. And the pandemic has just added to the list of tasks.  

In certain instances, these roles have even threatened women’s careers. When the pandemic hit and schools shut down last year, mothers knew it would be up to them, alone, to figure out how to do at least three full-time jobs at once. And today they continue being not just full-time career women, but also full-time caregivers to elderly parents, full-time teachers to their children and the list does not end there.  

An HBR report has it that in September 2020 alone, 865,000 women left the US workforce, compared to 216,000 men. That’s a whole four times the number of men! 

The fact is that the impact of the pandemic has been especially hard on working women, who have in many instances been forced to leave their jobs to take care of their responsibilities. Experts say that the ongoing pandemic is threatening to be a setback to the decades of progress that women have made at their professional front. Amid the mounting workplace demands and being the primary caretaker of the children and elderly parents, working mothers have been particularly hard hit by the crisis. 

Helping working moms 

Now, with a year gone by, mothers need support more than ever – in the form of favorable government policies, employer assistance and partners who help in their work. They also need it for the future, to ensure that they are not left alone in situations like this.  

Empathy is key in all this  

When the pandemic first hit, sounds of children and families in the background during calls were acceptable and moms were relieved at how managers were responsive and compassionate.  

But several reports have it that now, the mood has shifted, and empathy seems to have run out. Working moms have several challenges, which all managers may not be familiar with.  

Employers need to proactively ask employees what they need, how they feel and if they feel okay in how they work. They need to give moms a channel to open up and discuss their concerns, and most importantly, empathize.  

How Nuvento supports its moms 

While talking to Nuvento’s moms, they made it clear that they’ve been able to stay productive in their tasks and step up to the responsibility because of the supportive management. Most of our leaders have allowed mothers to work flexible hours and re-arrange their shifts using time they aren’t caring for their children.  

The corporate and work culture need to practice more compassion during these times and maybe even adopt new practices, keeping working moms in mind. Nuvento has launched several initiatives like the advocacy portal, virtual HR cabin and has initiated tie-ups with professional counselling agencies, encouraging moms to speak about their challenges. These initiatives give mothers a channel which they can use express their thoughts and concerns, enabling the management to stay aware of what their employees need to perform to the best of their abilities.  

Support is key – because we’re all in this together 

When managers support their teams, it’s seen to motivate and retain working mother talent. Creating a positive work environment that is supportive of working mothers, means they’re creating an environment that lets every employee thrive. Support builds mutual respect which keeps people productive and organizations growing, helping them stay ahead of the curve.