THE REALITY OF RETURNING TO WORK AS A FULL-TIME MUM: WHY WE NEED TO SHAKE UP THE WAY WE WORK

It’s safe to say that our working cultures have changed significantly over the years, from the hours we keep, where we work and the expectation placed in the hands of those of us in employment.

But many of these changes aren’t for the better. Especially for new Mum’s who are having to go back to work. All of a sudden they’re presented with new challenges; can they fully focus on the task at hand if they’re worried about their baby? Can they really put 100% trust in the nursery/nanny looking after their child? And is returning to work really what they want, or is it a necessity?

It wasn’t that long ago that women were expected to stay at home and raise their children while their husband or partner went to work and provided for the family. But with the cost of living increasing at an alarming rate, this is often a luxury that they can’t afford. On the flip side, many women return to work to find that their salary just about covers the cost of childcare, so they’re returning to work simply to pay for someone else to look after them.

It’s a tricky situation to be in, but can more be done by employers to help support women at this new stage of their life? Baring in mind many of these women have forged a very successful career and have exceptional performance credentials.

The technology could be one answer, but let’s explore some other potential possibilities.

Breathehr.com published an article last year that looked at what employers can do to ensure they keep hold of talent after statistics showed that three in five parents returning to work choose to change employers after the birth of their first child. That makes for pretty scary reading when you factor in the cost of advertising and training new recruits. It’s much more cost-effective AND better for the morale of employees to nurture the talent that you do have and support their transition back into the workplace.

Echoing the same sentiment, Forbes.com featured an article at the start of 2019 that also looked at the lack of support that women returning to work are experiencing. Author, Mary Beth Ferrante cited a statistic that was published by the World Economic Forum that states that it will take another 217 years before we reach workplace equality. That’s an alarming figure that all businesses need to stand up and take notice of.

There’s no denying that change takes time to implement, but another 217 years? That’s a shocking statistic. There really must be another way to support the increasing number of women who are juggling full-time motherhood with full-time employment.

Thankfully there is, in the form of a software programme that has been created to make flexible and remote working the norm. It’s called WurkR and has been designed to disrupt our current working cultures.

Revolutionising the way in which we work is something that needs to happen, and fast. Businesses can no longer bury their heads in the sand and refuse to adapt to the modern ways of living, where employees strive to create some form of work/life balance, where they feel that they can contribute more efficiently and effectively whilst at work, but also be available and present when life needs to be a priority.

Wurkr enables this to happen as it’s giving employees the luxury of choice. They can log into the portal and show that they’re ‘at work’ even if they’re not physically in the office. Gone are the days when employees had to clock in and clock out and work regimented business hours. Gone is the traditional 9-5. Industries need to embrace these shifts in working to support the people who support them; their employees.

With the evolution of online software, you can now host a conference call with three people in three different countries. All you need to do is work out the time difference. Calls can be recorded, computer screens can be shared and you can effectively work from anywhere in the world.

Business no longer has to be done within the confines of the office walls, so there’s no reason why mothers returning to work can’t do so from the kitchen table, working around sleep schedules, then nursery times, play dates and eventually school hours.

By supporting your key support staff you’re empowering them to deliver the best work for you. Chances are they’re more efficient at home with limited distractions, making up their weekly working hours at the times that suit them.

Gone are the days when business was only done between the hours of 9-5. Businesses have evolved and the way we work needs to adapt to keep up with these changes. Wurkr enables you to do that.

So, if you’re looking to offer better solutions to parents returning back to work, or simply have a desire to disrupt the industry that you’re in by becoming an early adopter of the Wurkr technology, then why not sign-up for a free at www.wurkr.io and see what it can do for you, your business and most importantly, your employees.