Business

Valuing the greatest asset

If a working woman chooses to spend her time at home caring for her children, she deserves recognition for the hard work that comes with it
If a working woman chooses to spend her time at home caring for her children, she deserves recognition for the hard work that comes with it If a working woman chooses to spend her time at home caring for her children, she deserves recognition for the hard work that comes with it

"A woman is the full circle. Within her is the power to create, nurture and transform” - Diane Mariechild

WOMEN are the mothers, the carers, the friends, the supporters and the leaders. Don’t get me wrong, men are incredible too (I have two sons but they are already valued in society unlike their sister who has just had a baby - and apparently she is just sitting at home!).

That bias that says “just sitting at home” is unfortunately still alive and well. As any parent will know, neither man nor woman do simply not just sit when minding a child.

The caring role, women's role, in society remains under-valued and it has never been more evident than now as we face new challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic. This crisis is threatening to erase the gains of women and blur the lines between their role at home and their role in the workplace.

Women from all walks of life, of every ethnicity and every religion have more obstacles in their way now more than ever. From working mothers, to women in leadership roles and women who are living with mental and physical health issues, they are all under fire.

However, women are resilient and will continue to prevail, to break the barriers and to show the world that what we have to offer our families, the economy and our workplace is priceless. Some 60 per cent of post graduates are female, 65 per cent of graduates are female, are we valuing this talent and potential?

There is no doubt the events of 2020 are turning family and workplace dynamics upside down. Consequently, many women are rethinking their futures, with a recent McKinsey & Lean-In report claiming one in four women are contemplating stalling their careers or deciding to put their work goals on hold to be at home to raise their children.

This comes as no surprise with the childcare system on the brink of collapse, numbers of nurseries across the country facing closure, and the costs of childcare climbing to over £1,000 a month on average within the UK.

It's crucial for some women to be at home with their families at the moment, and we must continue to appreciate the value of the role women play as mothers. If a woman chooses to spend her time at home caring for her children, she deserves recognition for the hard work that comes along with this.

Recognition is also needed for women who have the desire to work. If your business isn't investing in building a more flexible and empathetic workplace for these women by creating more opportunities to succeed in the long term, implementing flexible and part-time work and crafting a more diverse working environment, you will lose these future leaders. Not only will your business be at a loss, so too will the economy. The real question here is, why aren't you doing anything about it?

I say pay the stay-at-home mothers for doing the most valuable job of all, nurturing the future generations or provide free flexible childcare and return this valuable asset to the economy.

Roseann Kelly is chief executive of Women in Business. To find out more information on upcoming events, including how to register, visit www. womeninbusinessni.com or email info@womeninbusinessni.com