It’s time for a flexible work policy to support working mothers, reveals JobsForHer’s latest survey

The COVID-19 pandemic placed a tremendous strain on working mothers. From juggling between work and family life to assisting children with online school - mothers never had it easy and the pandemic made matters worse. 

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, JobsForHer, India's leading online career platform for women, conducted a survey to understand what working mothers want from employers and whether companies are paying enough attention to their needs. With responses from 8,000 working mothers, here's what the survey revealed.

When asked about their experience of managing work during the pandemic, 51 percent of working mothers said they felt like quitting their jobs because of additional household responsibilities. On the upside, when it came to receiving adequate support from the employer during the pandemic, 59 percent said they did receive sufficient support, while 41 percent of them said they had trouble finding help.

Furthermore, as schools reopen and many organisations transition back to the workplace, working mothers shared their views with JobsForHer regarding the family-friendly benefits they expect at the workplace. As per the survey, 38.6 percent of working mothers consider flexible work schedules the top priority, while 32.3 percent prefer remote work options.

Also, 17 percent said they expect child-care assistance at the workplace, and 12.1 percent voted for mental health support to achieve a better work-life balance and advance their careers.

 Commenting on the survey's findings, Neha Bagaria, Founder and CEO of JobsForHer, said, "The JobsForHer survey was conducted to understand the needs and expectations of working mothers so that companies can create a culture where working mothers have an equal chance to succeed. Flexible work schedules and remote work options are no longer a bonus but expected features of the workplace so that working parents, not just mothers, can manage their multiple responsibilities and bring their best to work."