As the pandemic rages on, you can’t afford to lose experienced workers. Yet many working moms are having to choose between their jobs and their families; and, not surprisingly, families are winning. Take heart, there are a few fairly painless things you can do to keep working moms on the job:
- Provide as much certainty as possible. Working moms want to know they have some job security and they won’t be fired if they have to miss work to care for a sick child or help home-school their kids.
- When possible, provide certainty. Be clear about job expectations and performance standards and where there might be some flexibility.
- Set realistic job expectations. Help working moms juggle home and work responsibilities by offering flexible schedules, shorter shifts, and opportunities to work part-time or job-share. Put all this writing with family-friendly scheduling policies.
- Be empathetic. Even if you don’t have kids at home, try to understand the challenges and stresses facing working moms. Take a moment to ask them how they’re doing. Look for opportunities to help ease their burden—let them miss unessential meetings, give them restaurant gift cards so they can order meals, etc.
Despite everything that is happening right now, your employees are paying attention to how they are being treated and what support their managers are providing.
