The Nine Pain Points Affecting Working Mothers of Color Most

NEW YORK, March 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a disproportionate blow to women of color, as evidenced by the dramatically dwindling number of black and brown women in the workforce. As a direct response to the impact of the pandemic on mothers, particularly mothers of color, The Mom Project founded RISE, an equity-focused upskilling program.

Offering eight different forms of certification, the curriculum – which includes mentorship, community, and networking opportunities in addition to upskilling – empowers moms and women of color to access greater career and economic opportunities.

"In 2021, RISE reached new heights, exceeding goals by 210% and reaching 10 million people across 945 cities," says Chandra Sanders, Director of RISE. "Our graduates have pivoted industries, careers, and re-entered the workforce after long absences – we've witnessed just how powerful upskilling can be for women who need it most. Developing a program that is equitable, accessible, and impactful is absolutely a success, but to scale these wins we must address the challenges standing in the way of women accelerating their careers."

In an effort to better understand the experiences, concerns, and challenges that these mothers face on a day-to-day basis, WerkLabs, the data and insights division of The Mom Project, comprehensively surveyed 520 RISE participants as part of the 2022 Pain Points study. Of those surveyed, 70% identified as women of color.

Survey results revealed nine key, career-related pain points. Some standout challenges for working mothers include lack of adequate childcare and lack of employer flexibility, with a staggering 94 percent citing the absence of flexibility as a profound career obstacle. This critical result validates previous WerkLabs findings, where 75% of over 1,000 respondents stated that a manager's understanding and organizational support for flexible work was the most important criteria in choosing a new job.

"It's worth noting that flexibility in work is critical for moms, but flexibility in the absence of respect for workers who need it destroys its long-term value for both employees and corporations. This is particularly true for moms of color working to elevate their careers. Managers need to actively support moms as they integrate their family needs with their jobs," says Pam Cohen, PhD, who heads up Werklabs. 

The Mom Project continues to fight for increased diversity, equity, and inclusion for mothers everywhere by scaling its essential upskilling program, nurturing competitive candidates from underrepresented groups of various backgrounds. For more on the broad reach and change generated by RISE, please view the 2021 RISE Impact Report in its entirety.

About The Mom Project

The Mom Project is the leading platform for moms to discover their economic potential. Serving over 500,000 moms and 3,000 companies through its robust suite of hiring, education and retention solutions, The Mom Project is supporting mothers in finding success on their own terms. The Chicago-based company was founded in 2016 by Allison Robinson, who serves as CEO, and has raised $116M in funding to date. Serena Williams joined The Mom Project as a Strategic Advisor in 2020 to further mobilize the mission.

About WerkLabs

Founded in 2020 after The Mom Project's acquisition of Werk.co, WerkLabs offers research and support for corporate leaders on important workplace topics including employee engagement, DE&I, benefits and policy advisory. Led by Dr. Pam Cohen, PhD, WerkLabs goes beyond insights by leveraging behavioral science and predictive analytics to help companies identify which changes will have the greatest impact on employee engagement and offer the best return on investment for the business.

Related Links

http://www.themomproject.com
https://work.themomproject.com/rise

SOURCE The Mom Project