Season 1, Ep 9: Only Wonder Women Need Apply - Solutions for Working Moms
Juggling work and motherhood is a bone-weary challenge unless you’re Wonder Woman. While women’s skills grow after becoming mothers, we often face biases that stall careers. The pandemic made the situation more dire but now is a golden opportunity to find solutions with the Parity Prescription.
Subscribe! Time-stamped show notes are below.
Intro
00:27 Time for gender parity increased from 100 to 135 yrs; COVID widened the gender gap, CNBC
5:23 Need workplace support; Unfinished Business by Anne Marie Slaughter
Unique Skills of Working Moms
8:29 Skills grow; Modern Family Index; Why Mothers Make Excellent Employees, DiversityQ
12:42 Skills developed as mothers
13:35 Remain calm under pressure
14:29 Improve communication skills
14:50 Hone negotiation skills
15:10 Improve creativity
Biases Against Mothers
16:19 50% believe mothers are less committed to work; Modern Family Index
17:54 Mothers MORE devoted
18:25 Won’t “half-ass” my job - kids are watching
19:08 Sleep deprived v. less interest
20:00 Moms lose opportunities
20:15 ‘She won’t have time’
20:37 “Benevolent” leaders harm careers
20:42 Fathers face bias too
21:15 Women judged for flex schedules; Modern Family Index
21:32 Motherhood biases + regular biases against women; How to Understand Unconscious Bias So We Can See Women, Parity Podcast (Apple); How to Understand Unconscious Bias So We Can See Women, Parity Podcast (Spotify); Unconscious Bias: Hidden Forces Undermining Women at Work
12:03 Boss not supportive
22:20 Will mother return to work?
23:44 Miscarriage, morning sickness, breast pumping at work
25:02 Common questions causing guilt
27:44 Child crying on Zoom
28:30 Opportunities given to less qualified employees; The Wage Gap is Wider for Working Mothers; The Hazard of the Motherhood Penalty
29:16 Mothers MORE ambitious; For mothers in the workplace, a year (and counting) like no other, McKinsey
30:44 Women do more housework; Mothers' Careers Are At Extraordinary Risk Right Now, Atlantic Monthly
32:01 Work culture; 8 Signposts of Cultures Where Women Thrive, Parity Podcast (Apple); 8 Signposts of Cultures Where Women Thrive, Parity Podcast (Spotify)
Impact of COVID
32:56 Job losses; OxFam International
34:10 Women overrepresented in low wage jobs; Women in Low-Wage Jobs are Underpaid and Overloaded, Atlantic Monthly
34:29 Working thru pandemic
36:22 Feeling judged; Mothers' Careers Are At Extraordinary Risk Right Now, For mothers in the workplace, a year (and counting) like no other
Solutions
37:45 Parity Prescription helps; How the Parity Prescription Can Work for You
38:29 Recognize Unconscious Bias; How to Understand Unconscious Bias So We Can See Women, Parity Podcast (Apple); How to Understand Unconscious Bias So We Can See Women, Parity Podcast (Spotify); Unconscious Bias: Hidden Forces Undermining Women at Work
39:29 Focus on skills
40:51 Partner with Allies; How Male Allies Can Lean In for Measurable Gains to Achieve Parity, Parity Podcast (Apple); How Male Allies Can Lean In for Measurable Gains to Achieve Parity, Parity Podcast (Spotify)
41:15 Allies at home
44:15 Allies at work
49:19 Talk About the Issues; How to Have Tough Conversations at Work, Parity Prescription (Apple); How to Have Tough Conversations at Work, Parity Prescription (Spotify)
Parity in Play
51:05 Some universities not supportive of women in STEM programs; The Parent Trap: Scholars find antagonism towards motherhood dissuades women from pursuing academic science careers, UC Santa Barbara, July 15, 2021
Where You Can Find Us
Website: www.par-ity.com
Follow us on Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn
Co-Hosts: Deborah Pollack-Milgate and Cathy Nestrick
Contributor: Dr. Nithila Peter of eiLeads
Email CathyAndDeborah@par-ity.com with questions or comments
We hope to connect with you again soon so that we can make progress with the Parity Prescription!
