Key takeaways

Surveying the latest evidence on the effects of motherhood on career progression, experts at the ANU Global Institute for Women’s Leadership have found evidence of the ‘motherhood penalty’. When mothers enter the workforce, they experience lower wages, higher turnover rates, more frequent employment transitions, and more hiring discrimination than men.

Specifically, mothers are impacted by notions of an ‘ideal worker’ who is available to work whenever needed. These expectations remain prominent in many workplaces.

They also found evidence that mothers’ commitment to their work is subject to disproportionate scrutiny from employers. There is still a belief that women ‘use’ pregnancy and motherhood to avoid work, and mothers are often subjected to having their personal life become a topic of debate in the workplace. In some cases, women are penalised just for being at a childbearing age.

There were also reports of positive experiences for mothers at work.

In some cases, a mother’s work relationships improved after having children, and some working mothers perceived an increase in appreciation from their colleagues upon returning to work. Other findings suggested that parenthood could positively affect wages in general, not just for men, showing that after childbirth, average wages were higher for fathers and mothers alike (though this may be due to parents taking on more work in expectation of the expenses associated with having a child).

However, mothers are underrepresented as workplace leaders. Experts identified unrealistic expectations of time availability and lack of flexibility in leadership positions as the major barriers to better representation.

Interventions for mothers in the workplace should aim to generate a cultural shift where traditional gender norms are challenged, and perceptions of motherhood and leadership redefined.

To achieve this, management practices and policy that demonstrate value for care work and promote an equitable division of family duties are essential.

Specifically, organisations should focus on flexible policies and work arrangements that respect the changing family circumstances of their employees.

Where possible, staff should be able to work non-traditional hours and work remotely. Meetings should be an appropriate length and held at appropriate times of the day (e.g., avoiding school pick up and drop off times). And when they do make use of these arrangements, workers should be protected from discrimination for having done so.

Family-inclusive events and activities, child-friendly spaces, and breastfeeding rooms are other good initiatives that can promote a more child-friendly work environment and mitigate the impact of motherhood on women’s careers.

The evidence also suggested that well-paid, non-transferable ‘use it or lose it’ parental leave for men – already in place in some workplaces – helps normalise equal participation in caregiving and eases gendered expectations directed at mothers. This can be implemented alongside initiatives for men that encourage them to consider their gender-based biases and how they affect the workplace.

Finally, workplaces need structured anti-discrimination and anti-harassment policies with anonymous reporting systems. Transparency and accountability are critical to building a safer work environment for women and would mitigate the effect of the motherhood penalty.