A survey conducted by Mumsnet has revealed that 60% of working mothers are dissatisfied with their employers’ flexibility towards the family-friendly measures which are ostensibly in place to protect and secure the positions of working parents. Just 40% of working mothers earning under £100,000 were surveyed to be happy with their employers.

The results of this survey have been collated from 2000 Mumsnet respondents who are primarily in managerial and senior executive occupations across a variety of sectors and has served to highlight the growing dissension which many mothers have experienced upon their return to work.

This dissatisfaction with their employers approach to working parents appears to extend mainly to mothers earning under £100,000, as 71% of women in higher paid wage positions said they were content with the steps taken by their employers.

The effects of parenthood have in some cases further affected working mothers in lower wage brackets as 55% reportedly experienced a substantial drop in pay once they returned to work.

A small percentage of these wage decreases can be attributed to hours being cut, but some mothers whose hours remained the same have also complained of a decrease in salary.

When considering mothers in the higher wage bracket have in some cases actually experienced an increase in wage upon their return, it becomes clear that there is a disquieting inconsistency to the wage of the working mother.

The divide between the high and low wage earners is evident as 56% of low wage earners voted for a zero tolerance approach to discrimination against working mothers compared to the higher wage brackets 33%.

The survey was conducted in partnership with executive search firm Ridgeway Partners.

Words: Daniel Pearce

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