Working Mothers Feel Empowered at Work and Supported at Home, But Few Have Support in the Workplace According to a New Survey From Care.com

WALTHAM, Mass., Feb. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- A majority of working mothers are empowered as role models for their children, have professional ambitions and feel like they are receiving support from their spouses and families despite a lack of childcare benefits offered by their workplaces, according to a national survey commissioned by Care.com (http://www.care.com) released today.

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Care.com, an online resource helping families connect and meet with quality local caregivers for children, adults & seniors, pets and home & lifestyle found that nearly eight out of ten working moms (78%) say that they enjoy being a working parent. And half (50%) of working mothers feel that working enables them to be strong role models for their children.

The Role Moms Play at Work

But moms aren't content with feeling "mommy tracked" in the office. In fact, nearly six out of ten working moms (58%) aspire to move higher in the professional ranks. And promotion feels possible. Nearly eight in 10 (78%) do not feel that they have been passed over for a promotion because of a perceived lack of commitment to work.

In fact, working mothers are seeing themselves more as mothers who work, and the benefits at home and the workplace are evident in the survey. Since becoming a working parent, four out of ten working moms (40%) feel that working makes them more creative as a parent and that being a parent has added perspective that enhances their contributions at work. Thirty-two percent feel that they are more motivated to work and take on new roles since becoming a parent, and three out of ten (29%) feel that they are more productive now than they were before children.

And they have partners who help: Moms are making it work because they have support at home.  More than three-quarters of working moms (77%) have a spouse or partner who participates in the raising of their children. Among those, nine out of ten (89%) feel that their spouse/partner supports their career goals. And the feelings of "mommy guilt" appear to be abating, as sixty-four percent don't feel that the demands of their job interfere with their ability to be a good parent. 

The Problem at Work

But increasingly, as more women enter (or re-enter) the workplace, and professional aspirations continue, businesses need to catch up to the new normal of the motherhood workforce. Nearly three out of four companies (73%) where working moms are employed do not offer any child care benefits. Less than 20 percent (18%) offer flex-spending accounts; 6% offer on-site child care; 5% offer emergency back-up care; and, 4% subsidize child care.

Ambition and support at home is limited without workplace support. According to the survey, about four out of ten working moms (39%) had to miss work during the last year because of a childcare issue.

"I'm inspired to learn from this Care.com survey that eight out of 10 working moms enjoy what they do, most love being a great role model for their children and many feel more creative and motivated as a working-parent and even feel they add a better perspective at their jobs now that they are moms," said Katie Bugbee, Managing Editor of Care.com. "This survey makes it clear that much still needs to be done in the workplace to support them in motherhood. Women now hold more than half of the entry-level jobs at American blue-chip companies. According to the 2011 White House Report on Women, women will account for nearly 60 percent of total undergraduate enrollment by 2019. When nearly forty percent of the female workforce has to miss work because of a childcare issue, the productivity loss is felt on the bottom line."

About the Survey

The Care.com survey was conducted via an online survey among 1,000 women who have children under 18, are employed, and are living in private American households. Working from a database of American households that represents the population of the United States, Poll Position conducted interviewing for this survey for Care.com during the period between January 4-10, 2012.  An infographic highlighting the key findings can be found here.

About Care.com, Inc.

Founded in 2006, Care.com (www.care.com) is the largest and fastest growing service used by families seeking high-quality care providers, providing a place to easily connect with hundreds of thousands of care providers, share care giving experiences and get advice. The company addresses the unique lifecycle of care needs that each family goes through -- child care, special needs care, tutoring and lessons, pet care, housekeeping and more. To help ensure safety both online and at home, Care.com provides mom-reviewed profiles, monitored messaging, access to background checks, recorded references, and educational information on the interviewing process. Fortune 500 companies, educational institutions, technology companies, and professional services firms offer Care.com memberships as a benefit to employees through its Workplace Solutions program.

www.care.com | Twitter: @CareDotCom | Facebook: Care.com Fan Page

SOURCE Care.com, Inc.