The Difficulties Faced by Parents, Particularly Women, Reentering the Workforce
For many parents, particularly women, balancing career progression with family responsibilities can be an overwhelming challenge. Taking a break from the workforce to raise children often means pressing pause on professional growth, and the journey back into the workplace can feel like an uphill climb. While the demands of family life don’t go away, expectations at work can grow, leading to a constant juggling act that can impact both career advancement and personal well-being.
Let’s explore how work-life balance uniquely affects the career progression of parents, especially women, and strategies to help navigate these challenges upon returning to the workplace after a family hiatus.
1. The Impact of Career Breaks on Professional Growth
Many women take a hiatus from their careers to raise children, and while this time is valuable, it can come with setbacks. Career gaps often lead to skill atrophy, lost professional momentum, and in some cases, the stigma of being “out of the game.” Additionally, industries evolve rapidly, and women who take time off may return to find their previous roles have changed significantly or their skills are no longer in demand.
The break can also affect networking opportunities, as connections in the professional world may fade during a prolonged absence. Women may feel a sense of insecurity when returning to the workforce, fearing that they have fallen behind or that they won’t be able to compete for high-level roles.
2. Work-Life Balance as an Added Pressure
Once back at work, the challenge of balancing career and family responsibilities doesn’t end. In fact, it intensifies. Many women returning to the workforce still carry the majority of the household and caregiving duties, creating a constant tension between meeting the demands of their job and maintaining family life. This can lead to burnout and frustration, and it often results in women feeling pressured to settle for positions that offer more flexibility but fewer growth opportunities.
The reality is that work-life balance, or the lack of it, continues to be a significant factor in holding women back from advancing in their careers. The notion of “having it all” can feel unattainable when you’re stretched too thin across competing demands.
3. Overcoming the Hurdles: Strategies for Returning to Work
Returning to the workplace after a family break doesn’t have to mean sacrificing career progression. By adopting specific strategies, women can manage both their personal responsibilities and their professional growth effectively:
- Skill Rebuilding: Before re-entering the job market, women can take advantage of online courses, certifications, or even freelance work to refresh their skills. This can help them bridge any gaps and regain confidence in their professional abilities.
- Reconnecting with Networks: It’s essential to rebuild professional networks. Reach out to former colleagues, attend industry events, or join professional groups to regain a foothold in the field. Networking can open doors to new opportunities and provide valuable mentorship as you transition back into your career.
- Leverage Transferable Skills: Parenthood requires skills like multitasking, problem-solving, and leadership—all of which are valuable in the workplace. Positioning these skills as assets in interviews or while negotiating job responsibilities can give women an edge, showcasing their resilience and adaptability.
- Negotiating Flexibility: Many companies are increasingly offering flexible work arrangements, including remote work, part-time roles, and job-sharing. Negotiating flexible options can allow women to manage their personal responsibilities while still growing professionally. However, it’s important to ensure that these roles still offer opportunities for advancement, rather than being sidelined in less challenging positions.
4. Shifting Company Cultures: The Need for Supportive Environments
While individual strategies are crucial, the need for supportive company cultures cannot be overstated. Workplaces that embrace flexible schedules, provide family-friendly policies, and offer equal opportunities for advancement play a key role in helping women balance career and family.
Companies that foster a culture of understanding around parental responsibilities—without penalizing employees for having them—can help women thrive in their careers. This includes recognizing the value of career breaks, providing mentorship programs, and ensuring that women have access to growth opportunities upon their return.
5. Reframing Career Success After a Hiatus
One of the most empowering steps women can take when returning to the workplace is to redefine what career success means to them. For some, it may not look like climbing the corporate ladder as quickly as possible. Instead, it could be about finding a role that allows for both personal fulfillment and professional growth, even if the pace is slower.
Setting realistic expectations, celebrating small wins, and focusing on work that aligns with one’s values can help women feel more in control of their career paths. By taking ownership of their journey, they can blend career progression with their roles as parents without feeling guilty or pressured.
6. Government Support: The Need for Policies that Empower Working Parents
For true work-life balance and career progression to become a reality for parents—especially women returning to work—government intervention is crucial. While individuals and companies can make strides, systemic change is needed to provide real, lasting support. Governments can help ease the burden on parents by passing laws and implementing policies that offer tangible support to working families.
Flexible Childcare Solutions: One of the biggest challenges for working parents is access to affordable, reliable childcare. Without it, many mothers either cannot return to work or find themselves in precarious situations, juggling their jobs with inconsistent childcare arrangements. Governments could implement subsidized or flexible childcare programs, allowing mothers to choose care options that fit their work schedules. This could include extended hours, part-time options, and on-site childcare at workplaces. Such solutions not only alleviate stress for parents but also empower them to pursue their careers without constantly worrying about the care of their children.
Paid Parental Leave: Comprehensive paid parental leave laws are another key way governments can support working parents. Extended, paid leave allows parents to bond with their children during the critical early months without the financial strain or fear of job loss. Parental leave policies should also promote shared responsibility between mothers and fathers, ensuring that women are not solely burdened with the trade-off between career and family. With adequate leave policies, women would no longer feel forced to choose between returning to work too soon or putting their career on hold.
Flexible Work Laws: Governments can also mandate policies that require companies to offer more flexible work arrangements. Whether it’s remote work, flexible hours, or job-sharing, laws should encourage companies to support working parents in finding balance without penalizing them in terms of career progression. These policies would give parents more control over their schedules, making it easier to manage both family responsibilities and professional goals.
By passing laws that address these critical needs—flexible childcare, paid parental leave, and flexible work arrangements—governments can play a significant role in helping parents, especially mothers, return to the workforce without sacrificing their career growth. Empowering parents with the support they need will lead to healthier families, more diverse workplaces, and stronger economies.
7. Society’s Role: Shifting Perceptions and Support for Working Parents
Beyond government and workplace policies, societal attitudes play a critical role in helping working parents, especially mothers, manage competing demands and achieve a healthy work-life balance. For real progress, society as a whole must shift its perceptions about parenting roles, work, and the balance between the two.
Challenging Gender Norms: One of the most significant societal changes needed is challenging the long-standing gender norms that place the majority of caregiving responsibilities on women. While more men are actively involved in parenting than ever before, many families and workplaces still operate under the assumption that women will take on most of the childcare and household duties. This imbalance often forces women to compromise on their careers while men advance. By shifting societal expectations and normalizing equal parenting responsibilities, both men and women can share the load, leading to healthier work-life balance for all.
Community Support Systems: Society can also play an active role in creating community-based support systems for parents. Whether through neighborhood co-ops, shared childcare arrangements, or supportive family networks, communities can help ease the burden on working parents. When extended family or community members step in to help with childcare or household duties, parents are better equipped to focus on their careers without sacrificing family life. Encouraging a culture where it’s acceptable and expected to ask for and provide support can be a game changer for working parents.
Promoting Flexibility and Understanding in Workplaces: Society’s general attitude toward the importance of work-life balance can also help shift workplace culture. In many cases, there is still a stigma attached to taking time off for family or working reduced hours. By normalizing the conversation around work-life balance, society can help reduce the pressure on parents to “do it all” and instead promote a culture of understanding and flexibility. When society values the well-being of families as much as it does professional success, workplaces are more likely to follow suit by offering support and flexibility.
Valuing the Role of Parents: Lastly, society must recognize and value the critical role parents play in raising the next generation. Often, the contributions of parents, especially stay-at-home moms or dads, are undervalued. However, raising children is one of the most important jobs in society, and it should be viewed as such. When parents feel valued and supported by their communities, they are less likely to experience guilt or stress when balancing work and family responsibilities. This shift in societal values can help parents feel more confident in their choices, whether they decide to stay home or return to work.
In conclusion, achieving work-life balance for parents is not just an individual or workplace responsibility—it’s a societal one. By challenging outdated gender norms, creating community support networks, promoting workplace flexibility, and valuing the role of parents, society can help working parents manage competing demands and thrive both at home and in their careers.
Achieving Balance Through Personal, Workplace, Government and Societal Support
The challenges of balancing work-life responsibilities while advancing in a career, especially for parents returning after a family hiatus, are significant—but not insurmountable. By embracing personal strategies like skill-building, flexible work arrangements, and redefining career success, parents can navigate these demands more effectively. However, the journey doesn’t rest solely on individuals.
Workplaces must also play a key role by fostering environments that support flexible schedules, provide mentorship, and offer equal opportunities for growth. Yet, even this isn’t enough without the support of government policies that address the needs of working families—like flexible childcare, paid parental leave, and mandated flexible work options. Governments have the power to create systemic change that empowers parents to reenter the workforce and thrive professionally.
Finally, society must shift its perception of gender roles, embrace equal parenting responsibilities, and create community-based support systems. By valuing the roles of both mothers and fathers, and reducing stigma around work-life balance, we can promote healthier, more balanced professional and personal lives.
Ultimately, the key to achieving lasting work-life balance and career progression lies in the collective effort—personal, corporate, governmental, and societal. Together, we can create an environment where parents, especially women, can thrive at home and in their careers without feeling they must sacrifice one for the other.
The challenges of maintaining work-life balance while pursuing career advancement, especially for women returning after a hiatus, are undeniable. However, with the right strategies and supportive workplace environments, parents can successfully manage competing demands and continue to grow in their careers. Balancing family and career is never easy, but it’s possible to achieve a fulfilling professional life without sacrificing personal well-being.
At the heart of it all, knowing your worth, staying resilient, and advocating for yourself are key to navigating the journey back to work—and beyond.
