A new study released this week reveals that more than half of working mums in the UK are on a mission to change the language they hear in the workplace. With phrases like ‘You look tired’ and ‘I forgot you leave early’ and ‘Wish I could have Friday off’ among the top phrases heard in the workplace, working mums are determined to change workplace lingo and get more recognition.
A study of 1,000 employed mums conducted by Maltesers as part of their #MotherLover campaign revealed the common remarks they face in the workplace including, “you look tired”, “enjoy the rest of your week off” and “Can’t your partner do any of the childcare?”. And 55 percent are determined to change workplace lingo and get more recognition in the office.
Leah Dyckes, Brand Director, MALTESERS said:“It’s hard for working mums; society tells them they can ‘have it all’, but the reality is often very different. There are so many challenges, and it can be a real struggle to make it work – and too often the expectations and structures at work and home aren’t changing quickly enough.
''Through the #MotherLover campaign and meaningful partnership with Peanut which directly creates spaces for mums every day, we can help shift this dynamic by asking everyone around women to step up, to show empathy, and do what they can as allies to lighten their load.”
The research also revealed mums’ top struggles when balancing their job as an employee and parent include fatigue and burnout (41 percent), emotional stress (32 percent), and childcare arrangements (30 percent).
While changing workdays due to child sickness (23 percent), morning preparations (17 percent), and school commitments (11 percent) were among the most stressful things for working parents.
And 82 percent said their employer is supportive of them when it comes to routine changes, such as childcare or working from home.
However, working mothers want to see further support such as better flexible working options (47 percent), increased financial support for childcare (32 percent) and inclusive parental leave policies (25 percent).
Info provided maltesers