Though most working mums are excited to go back to the office after their maternity leave, with the new life stage, comes new responsibilities and worries. To glean a deeper understanding of how mums feel about rejoining the workforce post-maternity leave, Monster.com surveyed women across Malaysia as part of its #SheMakesItWork campaign and found that the following are their biggest worries:
Coping with changing schedules
While the joys of having a child are endless, being a mother and working professional is exhausting – especially since the sleep schedule of a newborn is not necessarily conducive to the schedule of someone working 9 to 5. In fact, 43% of the survey respondents said they were worried about being too tired and distracted to do their job properly. While 28% of women said their companies allow for flexible work schedules, 41% were also worried about making the most of flexible working conditions. To avoid unnecessary frustration, parents should voice their struggles and worries, so that their companies are aware of their concerns and able to offer support.
Getting priorities straight
While every working parent chases the ideal work-life balance, getting one’s priorities right can be a constant battle. To this point, 79% of women believe that the wish to spend more time with their family is the main reason why women quit their job.
Setting one’s work priorities is crucial to getting things done and scoring professional achievements. But being flexible as a working mum is equally important, as small emergencies pop up on a regular basis. With trade-offs being part of the daily routine, learning the fine art of balancing priorities and flexibility will go a long way.
Monster.com interviewed three women at different stages of motherhood, who shared their struggles and gave advice on how to manage a balance. Watch the video below:
Fear of neglecting kids
This is often not talked about much by employers, but separation anxiety is real. It’s not hard to imagine that returning to work after several months of maternity leave can be challenging for mums, and 55% of respondents said they found it emotionally difficult to leave their newborn at home.
One way to alleviate worries about neglecting one’s kids is to find great childcare. With 60% believing the fear of poor child care drives women to quit their job, the results of the #SheMakesItWork survey clearly showed how important this is for women in Malaysia.
Returning for the right reasons
As career priorities change as a mother, returning to work should be a conscious process that happens for the right reasons. Almost half of all survey respondents understandably said they returned to work due to financial reasons, but nearly 20% admitted to feeling a sense of overwhelming uncertainty about their future career.
If you have the chance to join a new company after your baby break, make sure you are asking the right questions in order to find out whether a company is family-friendly and a good fit for you and your needs.
