The ‘motherhood penalty’ | Remote work isn't ushering in equity for women - here's why

The pandemic single-handedly upheaved the world of work and ushered in a new model centred around employee-wellbeing, flexibility, and remote work.

Many spectators looked to this new world with optimism, thinking that more flexibility could lead to equality, breaking down barriers that had been historically faced by marginalised people.

Research from the TUC found that flexible work helps working parents, especially mothers, who often sacrifice career progression and turn down job roles because of a lack of flexibility. Historically, women have had to sacrifice professional progression for the sake of being an effective caregiver, with some employers having unconscious bias against working mums or assumptions that mothers aren’t fully committed to their careers due to absence. The pandemic, and the work model that ensued, arguably liberated working mothers, giving them more privacy and the ability to carry out parental duties without having to make it obvious to employers and colleagues.

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