Top benefits working mothers want

Women with children would rather take a pay cut in exchange for these perks, according to a study

Top benefits working mothers want

Returning to work – after taking a break to care for family – can be a challenge for women, according to a new FlexJobs survey of working mothers. Many are turning to other options.

Almost nine in 10 respondents said raising children has shaped their interest in taking on a flexible job, instead of the usual 9-to-5 work that tied them down to their desk.

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More than two in five women said it was ‘extremely difficult or difficult’ to kickstart their career after a hiatus, FlexJobs found.

Nearly a third of women who went on leave after having children said they aimed to re-enter the workforce but found their job was ‘too inflexible’ to allow them to juggle career and family life. 

With these growing concerns, more than half of working mothers (56%) have tried to negotiate flexible terms but only about a third (32%) have been given successful, FlexJobs noted.

Among the top factors women evaluate when they consider a job offer are:

  • Work-life balance (82%)
  • Flexible work options (78%)
  • Work schedule (77%)
  • Salary (76%)

About a third of respondents with children aged 18 and below are also open to taking a pay cut in exchange for the option to work from home as often as they needed.

Overall, the majority (85%) said they would be more loyal to an employer that offered flexible work options, FlexJobs found.