Marvin OnumonuWorking mums are unhappy with the support they get when they return-to-work, research from & Culture Consultancy found.
Only 17% of those surveyed felt confident about going back after maternity leave, and more than half said they were not happy with the support from their employer.
Just 20% described their return as very positive, and most (70%) said the process was stressful or left them with negative feelings.
The research found that 57% of women leave full-time work within two years of returning from maternity leave.
Maternity was flagged as a major factor in the gender pay gap, with many women feeling forced to pick between their job and family.
The charity Pregnant then Screwed found that 74,000 women a year worry about redundancy during pregnancy or maternity leave.
Some mums said they faced demotion, bullying or poor treatment on their return.
Clare Radford, founder and CEO of & Culture Consultancy, said: “I set out with this report to show what most working mums, including myself, have experienced – that support when mums return to work is severely lacking, across all sectors.
“Not only that, but that maternal bias is truly alive and well from the language used in the office, to bullying and gaslighting from line managers.
“We’ve found many organisations need a complete re-evaluation of what they’re offering returning parents or they risk losing a significant proportion of their talented workforce.”
Radford added: “We hope these findings, paired with real stories and expert guidance, will help organisations recognise that change is needed, and how they can make the shifts to be truly effective.
“The emotional and economic cost of not supporting returning mums is too severe for organisations to continue as they are – if businesses are truly committed to closing the gender pay gap, and retaining female talent they need to take a deep look at their return practices and organisational culture.”
