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from December 2021 Digital Issue of HR Professionals Magazine

5 Questions Emotionally Intelligent Leaders Ask Themselves Every Day

Make Flexible Work the Norm, Not An Anomaly: Labor shortages are deepening, and the workforce is being reshaped as a result. Of 52 economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal in October 2021, 22 of them predicted that participation would never return to pre-pandemic levels. Welcoming working mothers back into the workforce means making it easier for them to engage under flexible work arrangements that recognize their needs.

Compensation Matters: Well-evidenced in the leisure and hospitality sector, compensation matters. On average, these sectors historically featured lower wages. The recent onslaught of hiring bonuses and increased wages has improved job-seeker receptiveness. In the first six months of 2021, the leisure and hospitality sector accounted for nearly 50% of the 3.3 million jobs added in the U.S. Imagine what pay raises can do to improve gender parity. Plus, childcare subsidies as a company benefit can encourage working mothers back into the workforce.

Commit to a Culture of Caring: Making diversity, respect and inclusion non-negotiable means they are experienced by all workers in a company’s everyday culture. Micro-aggressions towards working mothers aren’t new: eye rolls and off-handed comments might seem innocuous; they are not. When a working mother comes into the workplace balancing on what feels like a house of cards, a caring employer can ensure their retention and progression within the organization.

What is HR’s role in bringing working mothers back into the workforce? Similar to their de facto – and rather sudden role – as COVID czars, they’re in a unique position to generate action. First, take an unflinching look at what’s not working for working mothers in the business. Set forth clearly defined strategies that have leadership support to help tackle systemic problems. By adjusting to the new demands of a redefined labor market, real opportunities will be created. It’s indisputable that employers cannot afford to have women drop out or reduce their participation in the workforce and HR is at the forefront of taking up the charge.

Amy Schabacker Dufrane, Ed.D., SPHR, CAE, is CEO of HRCI, the world’s premier credentialing and learning organization for the human resources profession. Before joining HRCI, she spent more than 25 years in HR leadership and teaching roles. She is a member of the Economic Club, serves on the Wall Street Journal CEO Council, is a member of the CEO Roundtable, and is on the board for the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind. Amy holds a doctorate from The George Washington University, an MBA and MA from Marymount University, and a BS from Hood College.