Does Motherhood Activates Bias
Working mothers have long been perceived as a liability at work. In fact, during this period of a pandemic where work, school, child care, and other family responsibilities are now all happening under one roof for so many of us.
This has infact turned out to be more gruelling.
Fear of Performance being scrutinized
The boundaries between work and home have faded recently. “Always being on” is the new mantra. Unquestionably it is no secret that mothers still bear most of the burden of childcare and household chores in most families.
They have always worked with what we call “double shift” — a full day of work, followed by hours spent caring for children and doing household work.
Worrying about performance is always scrutinized because I’m caring for my children.
The work/ life balancing act is strenuous.
No matter how hard-working you are, if you miss a call or join a little late, or step away from your virtual desk, the organization is going to wonder where I am?
Moreover, the pandemic has also escalated challenges where at times kids are visible during Zoom calls, more to do at home, etc — generates the situation under which biases against mothers get unleashed.
The “Ideal Worker” and The “Good Mother”
The two termed coined by what sociologists call “the ideal worker” and “the good mother.” are poles apart. Ideal workers generally check email at all hours, rarely take time away from work, are always available, and get rewarded for it.
On the contrary, The Good Mother is wholly devoted to her family, prioritizes caring for her children. She is been looked upon as distracted and unreliable at work.
Both the terms in my opinion are ideologically incompatible. You can be one or the other. There is no space to be both.
When Visibility is limited, more room for maternal bias.
During this intensified period there are many challenges created by the Covid-19 crisis where the visibility is limited, people are remotely working and setting the stage for maternal bias like the thought the mothers are focussed more on their children than their job are they are busy homeschooling etc.
When evaluations are made on assumptions rather than on direct observation and clear criteria, bias often creeps in.
Biggest Challenges during COVID-19.
The recent report published by Mc&Kinsey and Lean In “Women in the Workplace 2020” highlighted a few biggest issues during COVID- 19 are:-
- Anxiety over layoffs
- Burnout
- Mental health
- Childcare and/or homeschooling responsibilities
- The physical and mental health of loved ones
- Financial insecurity
The brunt of MotherHood faced by Mom
The other day, I was talking to one of my friend, who also happens to be a “working mom” was devastated because her boss had asked her to apply for a sabbatical. Her boss never talked to her about it. He had simply assumed that she would prefer a job with more flexible hours since she is a mother of two children. He meant well but subconsciously discriminated against her because she is a mother.
Don’t assume anything just because someone is a parent.
As quoted by employment attorney Daphne Delvaux Discrimination against parents is often veiled under the guise of “business as usual.” The most common are performance or lack of revenue.
Motherhood is a strength at work
Women shoulder the planning, the organizing, and the remembering of everything that needs to be remembered. They are home-schooling while working. They’re preparing lunches while working. They’re policing screen time while working — and dealing with the waves of guilt, stress, or resignation that come with not doing any of those things particularly well.
The performance-review criteria should be clearly defined and measured so that employees are evaluated based on results and not on how many hours they work.
Employees should be assessed based on facts and not by assumptions
This moment requires long-term thinking, creativity, strong leadership, and a laser focus on the value of women to their organizations which could lay the foundation for a better workplace.
Before you go
Should Mothers be considered as significantly less competent and committed than women without children? Working Mothers want to be professional, get their work done, and spend a couple of waking hours a day with their babies. Is that too much to ask?
Do leave your thoughts below in the comment box.
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