Empowering working mothers: Overcoming the motherhood penalty

As we strive for gender equality in the workplace, Begum Rokeya's question remains relevant: "How far can a person walk with one leg tied?" 

Without equal participation from both men and women, the economy cannot reach its full potential. 

A study by McKinsey found that globally, women occupy only 38 percent of entry-level positions and a mere 22 percent of C-suite positions. In Bangladesh too, when we look around, we see a grave scenario among the organisations. 

According to a report generated by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics titled "Gender-Based Employment and Wage," the representation of women in public administration was only 19.62 percent, whereas in field administration, it was slightly higher at 22.64 percent in 2021. 

The report emphasised that there is a notable gender disparity in the administrative hierarchy for top-level roles, with a decreasing number of women in higher positions. 

This lack of representation not only hinders women's career growth but also limits the perspectives and ideas that can contribute to an organisation's success.

Despite progress towards gender equality, women still have to face many challenges and battle against discrimination in the workplace.

One of the most challenging obstacles faced by working mothers is the motherhood penalty, which is rooted in the stereotype that women are primary caretakers and should prioritise raising their children over their careers. 

In 2020 alone, over two million mothers left the labour force worldwide, a phenomenon that is all too familiar to many of us who know women who left their jobs after getting married. 

A survey by McKinsey and the Marshall Plan for Mothers reveals that 45 percent of mothers with children quit their jobs due to childcare responsibilities.

The motherhood penalty has a significant impact on a woman's career, including lower salaries, limited access to training and development opportunities, fewer promotion prospects, and workplace discrimination. 

Even those "Iron-ladies" who continue to pursue careers while raising their children face challenges such as the gender pay gap. 

Studies show that the motherhood penalty can lead to women earning up to 40 percent less than their male counterparts. 

Data from the National Women's Law Center shows that full-time, year-round working mothers in the US earn only 70 cents for every dollar earned by fathers. Similar or worse scenarios can also be observed in Bangladesh, which HR personnel are aware of.

To address these challenges, Bangladesh aligned with this year's Women's Day theme, "DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality". 

This can leverage innovation and technology to create more flexible working arrangements that enable working mothers to balance work and family responsibilities. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that remote work is possible, and many organisations from home and abroad have already adopted work-from-home policies to ensure business continuity. 

This approach can be extended to create more flexible working arrangements that allow working mothers to complete their work from home, especially for jobs that do not require a physical presence in the workplace.

Moreover, by incorporating innovative tools such as virtual collaboration platforms, artificial intelligence, and machine learning, organisations can enhance productivity and boost employee morale. 

These tools can help to automate routine tasks, reduce the workload, and allow employees to focus on more challenging and rewarding work.

The implementation of such innovative strategies can have a positive impact on the retention and engagement of working mothers in the workforce. 

Moreover, there is a strong correlation between gender diversity and financial performance. 

Furthermore, employed Americans surveyed in the Modern Family Index acknowledged that working mothers bring important leadership skills to the table, such as listening, multitasking, time management, being supportive, motivating, communicative, and approachable. 

Around 90 percent of the respondents of that survey agreed that working moms in leadership roles bring out the best in employees.

Merely hiring women is insufficient for genuine women empowerment. A workplace culture that supports and promotes gender equality is essential. 

This can be accomplished by implementing initiatives such as flexible working hours, equal pay, and leadership development programs specifically designed for women.

As we celebrated International Women's Day 2023, Bangladesh must recognise that addressing the motherhood penalty and the gender gap is not only a moral obligation but also a prudent business strategy. 

Instead of merely flaunting corporate responsibility on social media by offering flowers and chocolates to female colleagues, it is high time for companies to make salaries, promotions, and benefits transparent for both men and women. 

These positive actions will ensure that women and men can participate fully in our economy and help it grow to its full potential.

Fazlul Karim Chowdhury, FMVA® is a business strategist and corporate analyst.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard.