BEATING MATERNAL WALL BIAS

Ladies, did you find it hard to return to work after having children?

Have you ever felt like you’ve been overlooked for a job, or a job promotion that you were more than qualified for, and probably would have got before you had kids? Have you gone back to work and felt like you were less respected than before your maternity leave?

Well guess what, it’s not in your head, and you’re not alone. It turns out, this particular phenomenon is a genuine issue and it's so common that there’s even a name for it. It’s called ‘Maternal Wall Bias’ (MWB).

This was exactly the experience that I and thousands of other women have found when attempting to return to work. For me, the frustration drove me to ditch the job applications and start my own business. It was the best decision I’ve made in my professional career, but I still wasn’t satisfied with accepting this prejudice as ‘normal’. Being the rebel that I am, I sunk myself into researching the topic, determined to find a way to instigate notable change. I’m not sure I’ve achieved much on a wider scale, but it has helped me understand MWB much better, and hopefully, help educate others on the matter.

There’s no official definition of MWB, however Science.org describes it as, “when colleagues view mothers—or pregnant women—as less competent and less committed to their jobs”.

Is that resonating in your soul? It certainly did for me.

In her article for Harvard Business Review, law professor Joan C. Williams shares her findings. Whilst childless businesswomen are viewed with respect, and deemed to be highly competent by employers, working mothers are considered as desirable an employee as the “elderly, blind, retarded, and disabled.”

Ouch. So, if you’re feeling discriminated against, no, you’re not imagining it.

Why Businesses with Maternal Wall Bias are WRONG.

Mum's might not be able to do all-nighters, and we may sometimes need to work from home to nurse a sick child, but what we bring to the table is WAY more valuable.

1. We will quite likely be more dedicated to the company, as stability becomes much more important when you have a family to look after.

2. Without a doubt, I can say that we will be more productive because a) we have the experience to solve problems faster and with less fuss, b) we are generally more efficient because when you're a mum, time is precious. I know that personally, I can achieve a lot more in 6 hours now than I used to in 8.

3. Mum-mentality goes a long way in cultivating a great team culture. On the whole, Mums are used to putting other people ahead of themselves and tend to be more switched on to people's feelings.

4. Working Mums are superheros. We don't just work at work, we're working from the time we get up, to the time the kids go to bed (and most the time even after that). We have grit, we are organised and we get things done, usually with calmness and grace (because you can't let the offspring smell fear or panic, or it's all over!).

   
   

So how do we get around MWB? Williams, offers suggestions such as telling everyone where you are if you’re out if the office; leaving a sign on your door so they know it's a work-related absence; and sitting with your boss to set out clear short-term and long-term goals.

Pardon me if I’m rolling my eyes too loudly, but do men ever need to do that? And how does that help you get a job in the first place? Especially when it's perfectly acceptable for interviewers to ask about your parenting status in a subtle and casual way: 'Do you have any kids? Oh, me too. How old? '

Eek.

I’m not knocking Professor Williams’ approach, but these aren’t long-term solutions. Wouldn’t it be better to find ways to shift the narrative? Shouldn’t we be discussing how to encourage businesses to view Motherhood as a positive 'skill-set', rather than a black mark to 'work around'?

I came across an article in Forbes, written by Mary Beth Ferrante (click here for full article), which took a much more pragmatic approach to the problem.

She suggests the following:

1.     Equal leave for new parents

2.     Support for Childcare

3.     Address Maternal Bias within the workplace

4.     Flexibility vs. face-time culture

In addition to Farrantes’ practical solutions, we as a collective, also need to realise how amazing we are and fight for what we deserve, just like men do.  We need to ditch the self-doubt and show them exactly why they need us in the workforce.

Mums have a level of strength and tenacity that others don’t, and we also have access to our inner lioness who will tear the place up if anyone hurts our babies. So that's what we need to tap in to. We must summon our inner lioness and fight with everything we've got because if enough of us do that, then we can shift the paradigm.