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Working Women Opting Out
When a working mom leaves her job to stay home with her child, we usually think that's the way she wanted it.
Not necessarily, says Pamela Stone, author of the book Opting Out? Why Women Really Quit Careers and Head Home.
Speaking at a Women@Work breakfast sponsored by Carolina Parent magazine, Stone described her research that indicated a number of women who quit really did enjoy their jobs and might have continued working, but it was too hard trying to maintain a work/life balance. While companies may offer flexible work schedules, they didn't truly meet the needs of the women, and consequently the women left their fields.
So while the pre-school groups get a great contingent of highly motivated and educated lawyers, engineers and other professionals, companies look around in dismay, wondering why the females they spent years recruiting have left.
The (partial) answer? Establish a culture that values the work/life balance--and not just for women, Stone was quick to emphasize. This is needed for all employees. Offer good benefits that recognize needs of a family (including child and elder care), flexible work solutions that can meet individual issues, and career advancement opportunities whether you're working a flexible or traditionals schedule.
It can be done--- at least 40 companies are on their way.
Crazy Is My Life
Four kids, two schools, a bazillion sports, a messy house and 90,000 133,000 miles on my four five-year-old van. Need I say more?
Pamela appears Tuesdays on TriangleMom2Mom. Read more about Pamela on her blog Crazy is My Life.
Comments
Thank you for sharing this! I meant to link to Carolina Parent's list yesterday.
Especially useful if you're looking for a job I think.
Salaries are a part of this. It was barely worth my while to return to work as the daycare fees would have completely offset my income.
I always wonder though-what is the motivation of a company to be so accomodating to moms. Not to take anything away from all that women and moms have to offer, but if someone else who needs no special accomodations is willing to do the same job, looking at it from a purely profit/business point of view, how do company heads feel about it-I'd be curious to know. Especially in this economy when there may not be a shortage of applicants. Is there a such thing as an employer's market, like a seller's market?? I'm just not knowledgeable about this stuff.
That's a good question, Lilybug. I think that many companies recognize the benefits of nurturing a diverse workforce-- diverse in many ways. They work hard to recruit people, train them, and when these employees have become experts in their role, it certainly benefits the company to keep them.
In Pamela Stone's book, she looked specifically at women with advanced degrees-- so by nature of their education, they might be even harder to replace.
But this isn't just a women's issue. More and more people are looking for flexibility, whether it is to take care of your kids, your parents, run a second business or enjoy your life. Companies have invested in employees, and it hurts them when some of their best people leave.
I invite you to see an article I wrote on Suite 101.com, an online magazine, on how to recognize a family friendly company. It talks more about why everyone benefits when a company helps employees balance home and work life. You can find it at: (http://job-search.suite101.com/article.cfm/5_signs_of_a_family_friendly_company.
Great article-I guess it does stand to reason that if a company gains a reputation as a great place to work, they are more likely to attract top applicants. Makes sense!