More working women also spending less time with children
Working mothers are struggling to financially support their families and have quality time at home, according to a CareerBuilder survey.
More than one-third (35 per cent) of 484 working moms and 44 per cent of 836 working dads in the United States said they are the sole financial providers for their households. However, working moms were three times as likely to earn less than US$35,000, while working dads were more than twice as likely to earn US$50,000 or more and nearly three times as likely to earn six figures.
Forty-five per cent of working moms who are the sole financial providers for their households earn less than US$35,000, compared to 15 per cent of working dads who are the sole breadwinners. Twenty-eight per cent of these moms earn US$50,000 or more compared to 63 per cent of men. Seven per cent of these moms earn six figures compared to 18 per cent of men.
In addition to financial challenges, heavier workloads and longer hours are resulting in less quality time at home, found CareerBuilder. One-quarter (25 per cent) of all working moms said they spend two hours or less with their children each work day, up from 17 per cent in 2010. Twenty-four per cent take work home at least once a week.
Finding a better work-life balance is a critical issue for working moms — 31 per cent of all working moms said they would take a job with less pay if it meant they could spend more time with their children.
"While all indications point to economic recovery, working moms are still waiting to feel the effects," said Hope Gurion, chief development officer at CareerBuilder. "However, these moms possess a great deal of resourcefulness and resilience and continue to provide for their families. While moms say they would give up things, including pay, to spend more time with their children, they are making the most of the time they do have and getting creative in work arrangements.”
