‘Working moms’ are a growing trend that shows no signs of slowing down. Although shared parental leave is becoming more widely available, its uptake remains relatively low. Juggling a career and family life isn’t easy, but company culture is increasingly changing to embrace working mothers and make daily life easier. As a working mother, you’ll value an understanding employer and flexibility above all else.
Whether it’s the option of remote working or childcare, there are things you want to look out for as a working mother when looking for a company to work with. We’re rounding up 5 things to look for to find a suitable company culture for a working mother.
1. Flexible working
Flexibility is the future of work – turbocharged by the pandemic. As a working mother, flexibility will allow you to organize your working hours around your schedule or work remotely. Flexibility might mean that you can arrive at the office at 10 am instead of 9 am, giving you time to drop your kids off at school before heading to the office. The option of remote working means that you can be proactive and work from home if your kids are sick or off school
2. A family-inclusive workspace
When you go for your interview, look around the office building that you could potentially work in. Do employees have photos of their families on their desks? Are there private spaces for working mothers to express milk? Large-scale companies may also offer in-house childcare. As a working mother, you want to find a company culture that doesn’t make employees hide their families away for the sake of their careers.
3. Ask questions about the culture
Sometimes the best way to get an answer is to ask directly. During your interview, be direct with your questions. Instead of asking a blanket question like ‘Is your company suitable for working mothers?”, ask about specific situations. Does the company have a policy for looking after sick children, or if your childcare situation suddenly changes? Will you be given time off to attend events like PTA meetings?
4. Look at employee perks
Companies with a suitable culture for working mothers go out of their way to give incentives to this demographic. Conversations around company culture are more common than ever before, with employees aware that they have to offer something to their employees. Childcare facilities on-site is one of the biggest perks as it helps save time and reduces your commuting time. Companies may also offer an employee discount on childcare or paid parental leave.
5. Current employees
The best way to see if a company culture will work for you as a working mother is to see who is already on the team. A company will be more understanding of the needs of working mothers if they are already present on their team. Seeing women in leadership roles is another positive sign.
As a working mother, you want to find a company culture that works for your personal and professional life. Look out for companies that provide flexible and remote work, along with practical support like nursing grooms and childcare solutions.
About the Author
Simon Chou is the Vice President of Operations and Growth at BCjobs.ca. Over the course of his career, he carved a niche in brand development, marketing strategy, and online presence for startups. Prior to joining BCJobs.ca, Simon was an advisor for several global blockchain projects including Litecoin, NEM, and Ripple. In the past, he also worked with Fortune 500 companies in the healthcare space through SM Digital—a global marketing agency.
