With September almost midway through, school is back in full swing for most children in the U.S. As both a former educator and a single mother, this time of year has a special significance to me. While it can be an exciting time seeing your own kids grow up and advance in their education, as a working mom, I understand firsthand the challenges that women of color experience around this time of year.
Care, and the people who provide it, are undervalued. And the structure of companies does not lend the kind of flexibility necessary for women of color to both be successful on the job, and hold down the fort at home.
The momentum of remote work has cooled since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, with many companies now having their employees locked into hybrid or fully onsite arrangements that don’t meet their needs. Couple that with the rollback of DEI in the corporate sector, and many women of color who are mothers are feeling the pressure of meeting their professional and personal needs.
While women of color balancing work and home is not a new concept, what makes it uniquely challenging in this period of time is this country’s lack of a safety net and unaffordable childcare prices. DEI and anti-racist principles can provide a roadmap for companies to make their spaces more equitable and inclusive for women of color who are mothers and caretakers:
Flexibility is Key
If you’ve frequented this blog before, you know that we’re huge advocates for workplace flexibility. This is especially paramount for women of color who are balancing raising children and advancing in their careers. Having the flexibility to work remotely or to have flex time during the day to transport children to and from school, doctor’s appointments, or other important moments in their world is key to retaining women of color talent. Flexibility is mutually beneficial for all; it establishes that productivity does not have to be uniform, and that employees can and should be trusted to do their jobs without micromanagement.
McKinsey & Company’s 2023 Women in the Workplace report found that 38% of mothers with young children say that without workplace flexibility, they would have had to leave their company or reduce their work hours. Flexibility on the job, then, is not just a nice-to-have. It is absolutely essential for retaining talent.
Trust as the Foundation
A workplace that is not predicated on trust is one where women of color mothers will struggle. Trust is the foundation from which all decisions must be made, and a working culture built on this is one where women of color and mothers can do their jobs without fear of retaliation.
Tangible Support for Caretakers
Incentives such as childcare stipends, on-site daycare, or partnerships with local daycares can provide the tangible support women of color mothers need to thrive. It goes without saying that by now, companies should be implementing paid leave policies for childbirth, but that care must also extend well into that child’s lifetime and provide long-term support for caretakers. That comes in the form of additional paid time off for the times your child is sick or has other urgent needs.
Expanding Our Understanding of Caretaking
While I’ve focused on the experience of mothers of color in the workplace so far, I’m keenly aware that motherhood is but one form of caretaking. With factors like people living longer, and diseases like dementia disproportionately impacting people of color, it is likely that most people will find themselves on the giving (and eventually receiving) end of care at some point in their lives.
Shifting our perspective from seeing caretaking as something that has to be done behind the scenes and off the clock to it being something that can be integrated into our lives is crucial. Experiencing a life-altering event such as childbirth, adoption, or caring for an ill loved one should not be things that completely derail a career. If DEI and anti-racist principles lead us to believe that people can and should bring their whole selves to work, then that whole self includes caretakers. Companies and organizations can transform those values into policies that give employees the resources and time needed to manage their personal responsibilities.
Mothering and caretaking are full-time jobs, and for women of color, providing them with the flexibility and resources to do both successfully is critical. Schedule your consultation with ShiftED today to transform your workplace into a space where women of color mothers can thrive.
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