How To Win Women Back to the Workforce
Employers understand that women have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, and unfortunately as the economy rebounds organizations continue to struggle to attract employees to fill positions that were eliminated or vacated in the past two years. To address this, many are looking for ways to make it more alluring and worthwhile for individuals—and particularly women—to return to the workforce.
Nearly 70 percent of women who say they’ve experienced adverse changes to their daily routines due to the pandemic believe these shifts have prevented—or will prevent—them from progressing in their career, according to research by Deloitte. It is also important to note that 3-in-5 women question whether they even want to progress at this time when they consider what may be required to move up in their organizations. The top reasons cited for deciding to hold back on career progression include: lack of work/life balance (41 percent), non-inclusive behaviors (30 percent), and lack of flexible working arrangements (29 percent).¹
A new white paper from Medela on How to Win Women Back in a Post-Pandemic Workplace shares current data and research, and offers practical recommendations for how organizations can create a more supportive, family-friendly culture that is attractive to women who are reluctant to return to work.
Additionally, a new study conducted in September 2021 by Medela and Mamava—the partners behind New Moms' Healthy Returns—surveyed more than 3,100 moms to understand why they left the workforce and what it may require to motivate them to return. Results revealed that 29% of mothers left the workforce during the pandemic. Of those who left and are not planning to go back to work in the next 6 months or longer, 75% said the primary reason is they are concerned about balancing work and family. To see the full results of this survey click here.
Kin - Healthy Returns for New Moms, the program sponsoring this research, was designed by breastfeeding experts Medela and Mamava to provide the resources employers need to support working and breast milk feeding parents in their workforce. Learn how Kin can support working parents in your organization.
1. https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/global/Documents/About-Deloitte/gx-about-deloitteunderstanding-the-pandemic-s-impact-on-working-women.pdf)