Flexible work arrangements most important for career happiness
Many working moms are not satisfied with their career, according to a new survey by SFN Group in the United States.
Fifty-six per cent of the 600 American working mothers surveyed said they are not satisfied with their career, while 62 per cent said work-life balance — through flexible work schedules and flexible arrangements — is most important for career happiness, found the survey.
However, work-life balance is difficult to attain for many working moms. The majority of respondents (70 per cent) don't have a flexible work arrangement and nearly four in 10 said motherhood takes a back seat to work responsibilities.
"The increasing number of mothers entering or re-entering the workforce has helped solve a talent gap for many of today's companies," said Deborah Dean, senior vice-president of Strategic Accounts and Supplier Diversity at SFN Group. "Working moms are an important segment of today's workforce, providing organizations the skilled and knowledgeable talent pool they require. However, many businesses are falling short in delivering the much-needed flexibility that these workers require in order to achieve job satisfaction and engagement.”
The ideal work arrangements for working mothers include full-time (38 per cent), part-time (32 per cent) and consultant or freelance (24 per cent).
“Without work-life balance policies, programs and cultures in place, companies will quickly lose these talented workers to family-friendly competition," said Dean.
Other top factors for achieving career happiness for working moms include pay (58 per cent), opportunity for advancement (39 per cent) and relationship with co-workers (16 per cent).
