Read about all the pluses that moms bring to the corporate table, both for the companies they work for and the ones they run, and how to support them for greater professional and organizational success.

As the givers of life, mothers are arguably the most powerful collective force humanity has ever known, and yet their value—both at home and in the office—hasn’t always been respected in the American workplace. But that has been changing in the twenty-first century. Slowly but surely, companies are growing to appreciate and accommodate working mothers, and when they don’t, moms are taking control by starting their own. Explore why maternal qualities, regardless of who exhibits them, are practically custommade for business success and how you can make a difference for moms on your team.

Numbers to know

Mothers’ involvement in the job market has steadily been increasing over the past fifty years or so. According to the US Department of Labor, the participation rate has been particularly high for those with children under eighteen and even more for those with kids under age three, the former jumping by over 50 percent and the latter by 87 percent between 1975 and 2021. Most recently, a 2024 Hamilton Project survey said that “prime-age” women (ages twenty-five to fiftyfour) are participating in the workforce at higher rates than ever. But this growth in numbers hasn’t necessarily led to parity since working moms still make less than working dads—and COVID-19 only shone a brighter light on the problem. Months after the pandemic hit, Brookings found that COVID impacted working mothers far more than fathers, especially concerning job losses. In 2022, polling from the National Women’s Law Center showed a similar trend, citing a 16 percentage point difference between moms and dads who said their work hours were affected by pandemic-related issues like schooling and childcare. The business journal Knowledge at Wharton even cited a corporate “motherhood penalty”—around 5 percent fewer earnings per child— that’s driving moms in Sweden to become entrepreneurs, warning that such parental penalization is likely even more pronounced in America.

Empowering working moms

If you’re a business leader, you can play a pivotal role in improving the lives of the moms in your company. Put yourself in their shoes to determine simple, costeffective ways to help support them so they can, in turn, make your business more productive and profitable.

Understand and capitalize on their strengths
Moms are often the leaders of the household—the home CEOs, so to speak. They are known to be superefficient with their time, masters of multitasking, well organized, good communicators, experts in conflict resolution and negotiation, and eager to support those they’re responsible for. In short, they know how to get things done. Wouldn’t you want your business to run as proficiently as moms tend to run their households?

Jot down a list of such qualities to get a comprehensive picture of the unique benefits these individuals have to offer the workplace. Then evaluate how they work in practice by talking to the moms (and dads) on your staff about how they consciously or subconsciously apply parenting to their projects and teams. For instance, they might have great insight into how to make the distinction between when to oversee everything (as one would for young children) and when to give independence (as one would for a teen). They would appreciate you valuing their opinions and understanding where they’re coming from, and your team could glean useful strategies for a more productive workforce.

Get creative with accommodations
As is often the case in business, it requires give and take to achieve a successful partnership, including with parents. First and foremost, ensure that you’re accommodating situations that aren’t negotiable; for example, most new breastfeeding mothers are allowed by law to have break times in privacy to express milk. Additionally, reassess your benefits, considering whether you can offer generous leave for parents-to-be or even on-site childcare. The latter would be particularly helpful since Motherly’s 2024 State of Motherhood report says that two-thirds of moms surveyed have considered leaving the workforce simply because of childcare difficulties. (For more tips on how to support your caregiving employees, see page 3.)

Forging their own destinies

Another avenue that women have increasingly been taking is starting their own companies—and the results have been impressive. According to the US Census Bureau’s 2022 annual business survey, women-owned businesses tallied over $2 trillion worth of receipts the previous year. And the US Senate’s 2023 Women’s Small Business Ownership and Entrepreneurship Report revealed that “women in particular have been the driving force behind America’s economic rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, creating about half of new businesses for the third year in a row.”

Just as important as the economic impact is the personal one: namely, how motherhood prepares women for being boss moms. As Andrea Heuston, CEO of the creative firm Artitudes, succinctly put it as a guest author for Inc., “Motherhood has undoubtedly made me a better entrepreneur.” Jennifer Jay Palumbo, founder and CEO of Wonder Woman Writer and contributor to Forbes, would agree— she came right out and said that with its long days, sleepless nights, and difficult customers, “starting a business is much like having a baby.”

Such similarities are partly why more and more women are throwing their hats into the business-ownership ring. If this is you, here are some common keys that fellow momtrepreneurs swear by for balancing parenting and running a company.

Define “balance”
Simply put, you need to establish what your priorities are between work and life and then set firm boundaries to prevent your company from overwhelming your family life or vice versa. For example, let both your family and your team know which times you’re absolutely unavailable.

Get assistance
Entrepreneurs have a natural inclination to take charge of everything, but that can lead to burnout or worse. Whether it’s asking for more help from your team, outsourcing some tasks, or investing in tech to make life easier, always be open to assistance.

Carve out “me” time
Everyone needs an occasional break from it all, and this may be especially true for mother business owners. Be sure to recharge each week, even if just for an hour or two, by taking some true alone time without your kids or your company so you can continue giving your best to both.

Find your village
A common theme from many mom leaders is the importance of community, whether it’s through an entrepreneurial group, a women’s association, or a local mom group. Danielle Finck, founder and CEO of Elle Communications, undoubtedly spoke for mom bosses everywhere when she concluded on the website the Good Trade, “It all boils down to community. I never realized how deeply I needed other people until I became a mom.”

Collectively, mothers are a powerful influence on the economy, integral to the companies they work for, and bold leaders who blaze their own path of entrepreneurship. Cultivate their value within your team and promote their strong qualities as ones to mirror throughout your organization, and see just how much they can contribute to your business’s success.

TAKE ACTION:
Get feedback from mothers in your company on how you can make it more parent friendly.