Intro
Working mothers face a myriad of challenges as they navigate the balance between their professional careers and family responsibilities. Despite their exceptional abilities, they are often contended with the stereotypes that unfairly question their dedication and competence, highlighting the need for greater support and understanding in our society.
Benefits of hiring working mothers
Companies require the valuable and unique contributions of women, particularly working mothers due to the many benefits they bring to the company.
1. Resilience
As working mothers are driven by a strong determination to provide for their families while pursuing their career goals simultaneously, the ability to juggle different responsibilities allow them to develop resilience to efficiently manage the different facets of their lives. They are also a good role model for the workplace since they are able to handle any high-stress situations.
2. New perspective
Research from McKinsey shows that women can exert a notable influence on company culture and are more inclined to endorse employee-friendly policies and advocate for diversity. Therefore, including working mothers on the team can help bring distinct and diverse viewpoints into play. Fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace culture that welcomes various ideas can also stimulate innovation and create a more favourable work atmosphere.
Current regulations (Government)
The Working Mother’s Child Relief (WMCF) is a tax relief scheme in Singapore aimed at mothers who have recently given birth to incentivize them to rejoin the workforce and maintain their current employment.
Fig 1. Ministry of Finance (MOF) Infographic Explaining The WMCR
Meant to make the scheme more progressive, Deputy Prime Minister Mr Lawrence Wong has stated that this move towards a fixed sum is aimed at ensuring that more support is given to mothers in low-income families to help reduce their chargeable income so that the effects of income tax are not as profound. Additionally this also helps mothers of high income families to be better equipped financially to handle this change.
The new scheme, which switches from a percentage-based range of 15% to 25% to a fixed amount of $8000 to $12000, has faced criticism from Singaporean mothers for being hasty and offering little time for adaptation. Additionally, others have pointed out that while the concern for low-income families is admirable, the government has ostensibly left out the key demographic of middle-income mothers and families, where the corresponding effect on them is yet to be determined and is worth looking into before initiating such a large-scale change.
Singaporean mothers may also be familiar with Government-Paid Maternity Leave (GPML), which ensures that mothers who have just delivered their child will have adequate time to recover and care for their newborn. Under this scheme, eligible mothers will be able to enjoy up to 16 weeks of maternity leave. For the first 8 weeks, the employer will be responsible for the normal rate of pay and then with a cap of $10000 per week or a total of $20000 in the remaining 8 weeks. Overall, the scheme is quite comprehensive and well-encompassing, allowing recovering mothers to be untroubled by financial worries or woes as they continue to rest. On the other hand, reception towards the government’s plans for paternity leave has been lukewarm, with many Singaporean fathers feeling frustration at the slow rollout and implementation of paternity leave measures that are just as extensive as the schemes for mothers.
Current regulations (Companies)
Local Singapore-based companies have become more cognisant of the needs of the working mother, and have made efforts to accommodate these needs.
1. Lactation rooms in office spaces
For mothers with newborns, the practice of breast-feeding their children is one that many insist on for the sake of development. In order to ensure that these working mothers are still able to keep up with the practice, even after returning to work, employers have begun providing lactation rooms in office spaces. These private rooms allow working mothers to take time out of the workday to express breast milk without having to leave the office; a policy which not only acts as a show of support to new mothers, but also enables the transition from maternity leave back to full-time duties to be much smoother.
2. Flexible working schedules
Companies have also begun implementing flexible work schedules as a means to allow new mothers to spend more time with their children, even after maternity leave has ended. In fact, with many working mothers, the term “mommy guilt” has even been coined to refer to the feelings of guilt that they may experience as a result of working hours taking time away from their children. To mitigate these feelings, many companies now offer working mothers with options like a 4-day work week, or even a Work From Home (WFH) arrangement that will allow mothers to spend more time with their children, while also incentivising higher task efficiency so that mothers may knock off earlier once their duties have been fulfilled.
3. Family centred work events
Employee engagement, particularly with working mothers, has also become another topic of interest for the workplace. In an effort to make working mothers feel heard and seen, companies are beginning to look into organising family-centred events such as family retreats and even “Bring Your Kids To Work Day”. Events like these allow children to get a sneak peek into the corporate lives of their mothers, while also reiterating to working mothers that these companies understand their struggles and are appreciative of their efforts.
What can be improved
While increasing companies are embracing flexible working arrangements, there is still much uncertainty regarding the ability of working mothers returning to their positions after maternity leave. To address this issue, companies can aid working mothers with a seamless integration back into the working world.
1. Paternity leaves
Despite paternity leaves increasing to 4 weeks in 2024 announced by Minister Lawrence Wong during Budget 2023, there is still a pervasive stigma surrounding men balancing caregiving responsibilities and work. This stigma persists due to traditional gender roles and societal expectations since many perceive that men who take paternity leave or actively participate in childcare as potentially harming their career progression. This stereotype can hinder men from fully engaging in caregiving.
Promoting paternity leave is not just about gender equality but rather acknowledging that both parents have a pivotal role to play in caregiving. By normalising paternity leave and addressing the stigma associated with it, a more inclusive workplace culture can be created and this also in turn lightens the burden of working mothers. Companies that actively promote paternity leave also demonstrate their commitment to creating a balanced work-life environment, regardless of gender.
2. Employment Act
Given the limitations of the current Employment Act, managers, executives and vulnerable groups like foreign domestic workers and single mothers, there should be more protection for female workers and working mothers regardless of position, salary earned and marital status. The government can monitor workplace practices or implement regulations when needed to hold companies accountable to provide more supportive and inclusive regulations to ensure that the rights of working mothers can be better protected.
Conclusion
To ensure working mothers are provided with the necessary support to take on full-time duties, both in the workplace and on the home front, Second Minister of Home Affairs Mrs Josephine Teo has stated that Singapore needs “a workplace culture that is mutually supportive”. Hence, perhaps the next logical step would be to reaffirm the role of fathers at home, in order to work towards “a society that celebrates parenthood”. Based on current efforts from both companies and government organisations, it is still heartening to see that the Singaporean workforce is taking a step in the right direction.
Reference List
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