Want something done right and quickly? Give it to a busy mom.
Ever since the pandemic decimated human life, it forced working mothers to balance the house and careers delicately.
Mothers have always been the bedrock for any family. Mothers transcend from their problems to help loved ones.” Don’t take it wrong; mothers are happy to do so.” At what cost, though?
Mothers spend about 21 hours a week doing house chores. The pandemic has doubled mothers’ workload around the house, with kids and spouses forced to stay home due to COVID-19 lockdowns. Covid hard-pressed mothers work twice as hard to keep the family safe and protected during the pandemic.
As many people work from home, mothers must exert more energy to fulfill work obligations and care for their kids. Often, mothers are not appreciated enough for their unpaid work to keep the house in order. These unprecedented times have compelled mothers to choose between employment and family, a tough spot.
Working mothers shouldn’t have to choose between work or family. The employers must give appropriate accommodations to keep the working mothers working and caring for the family.
Employers must provide working moms with job-sharing arrangements where two part-time employees can perform the job with an equal division of remuneration.
It’s time to accelerate the avalanche of equity in women’s employment and pay equity. The governments should incentivize employers with women employees on the payroll, with low-interest loans equivalent to the remuneration paid to women employees.
It has taken decades of struggle to get equal work opportunities for women. The ongoing pandemic could erode that progress. Women employees are already subject to pay disparity; complexity only increases for the working mothers.
Immediate actions are required; otherwise, COVID may result in a workplace devoid of women workers; hence all efforts made until now will be for nothing.
Mothers always smile, signalling everything is okay, even if they don’t feel alright. Let’s appreciate working mothers, especially in these troubling times.
Photo by Alexander Dummer on Unsplash