Why working mothers are planning their exits

Working mothers in Singapore are still struggling to balance work and family commitments, as more than half remain unable to utilise flexible working arrangements in their current jobs.

In lieu of Mother’s Day in Singapore, Monster.com released findings from a study that aimed to identify challenges women face in the workplace.

The findings emphasise the rampant biases faced by working mothers at the workplace.

The report found that working mums are not provided opportunities to work from home (68%).

This lack of flexibility and support from employers is a key reason why 61% of female respondents will be looking for a new job in the next year.

Three out of four of the 2,600 women employees surveyed agreed that their decision to have children hampered their professional goals.

Additionally, about one-third stated that they have been questioned about their plans to start a family during job interviews.

Close to half of respondents (42%) said their current employers do not practise gender-equality based policies, which could leave the door open for discriminatory practices to flourish.

A whopping 90% of women consider work-life balance to be a crucial factor when finding a new job.

Suggestions to facilitate a smooth transition for new mothers into the workplace include:
- providing adjustable working hours in line with their domestic needs (43%)
- encouraging a family-friendly culture to counteract negative stereotypes (19%)
- and flexible timings during the first few months back at work (19%)

“Singapore has done plenty for professional women, but there remains considerable scope for improvement,” said Abhijeet Mukherjee, CEO at Monster.com – APAC & Gulf.

“In 2018, issues such as prejudice against mothers and the absence of conducive workplaces for women re-entering the workforce continue to be an uphill battle.

“While various initiatives across Singapore are targeted towards promoting equality and eliminating discrimination in the workplace, there is a learning curve for businesses that might not be moving fast enough to retain many women who choose to have children.

“However, not doing so means businesses are potentially losing out on making the most from 50% of the workforce.”