The business benefits of motherhood

New study reveals how mums can have it all

Working mums have been given a vote of confidence with employers recognising specific qualities they bring to the workplace, according to a new survey.

Two fifths (41%) of bosses identified mums as being better at multi-tasking and juggling time commitments, while a third (33%) said mums are more motivated and career-focused because of the need to provide for their family.

A further third (33%) of employers said mums have anincreased sense of responsibility and can be relied upon not to turn up to work with a hangover.

As part of its ‘working mums’ campaign, O2 commissioned research with over 4,000 mums (Netmums) and employers (One Poll) to explore women’s experiences of going on maternity leave and returning to work.

Their aim was to uncover the best and worst employer practices, as well as provide a fresh insight into the challenges and opportunities women face in today’s climate.

The positive sentiments from employers were echoed by mums, with two fifths (39%) saying that their performance at work has improved since having a baby.

The findings coincide with recent Government proposals to create more flexible, family-friendly workplaces as of April 2011. And although the research champions the positive attributes of working mums, it indicates that whilst employers are supportive when it comes to maternity leave, they could do more to support a family friendly culture.

In fact, while 85% of bosses recognise the value that flexible working brings to the business in terms of staff retention and productivity, over a third (35%) do not actively enable flexible working practices.

Ann Pickering, O2 HR Director, said: ‘Flexible working should be at the top of employer agenda – it is key not only to supporting parents, but to creating a genuinely dynamic and agile workforce.’

If you have an opinion or experience that relates to working mums, Marie Claire would like to hear from you by posting a comment below.

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