Regardless if you are physically able or unable to have kids, whether if you have decided to conceive or not to, to adopt or not to, or life just got in the way, there is a motherhood penalty in the workplace.
According to Resume Lab study, in which eight out of 10 respondents were parents, 74% said they believe parents are treated better in the workplace, 87% strongly agree that working parents have more benefits and 81% assume child-related absences are more important. But what is more important is that 84% share the view that employees with the same role should be treated equally when it comes to workload, regardless of whether they have children.
I have spoken about biases before. We all have them, they are part of our human nature, but the pressures and judgment put on women are unreasonable. We need to make the conscious decision to avoid drawing conclusions too quickly. It is about time we recognize all different forms of families and include single parents, non-biological chosen family and child-free individuals or couples into the definition of family. We need to work together to find equitable solutions for everyone, and it is imperative that workplaces take the initiative to make sure all employees, regardless of parental status, are treated equally.
In many developed countries, the share of people without kids is growing. In the U.S., more than 71% of adults live without children under their roof, and as of 2020, almost half of all women in the U.S. Researchers at Michigan State University reported that one in five adults don’t want children and the growing child-free-by-choice segment is tired of being overlooked.
Having children or family responsibilities cannot be the only valid reason for needing workplace flexibility. Work-life-balance should be a consideration for everyone within an organization, regardless of their marital status, family situation or external circumstances.
I would like to think we have learned something from COVID times. I want to believe we know how to pay better attention to our individual mental health, what flexible hours mean for all of us and how those kind of initiatives should be available to all employees alike. Leaving work to attend a personal commitment of any kind should be as valid as the school pick up.
Being child-free by choice is a mature decision to lead a life without the responsibilities and commitments that come with raising children. For many, this decision is arrived at after careful contemplation, considering factors such as romantic life, marital status, career goals, financial stability, personal fulfillment and environmental concerns. There is the stereotype that someone without a family of their own would prioritize work above anything else and therefore assumptions are made that they are always available to stay late at the office or be available to travel.
There was a tweet last year that went viral and it stated: “I don't know who needs to hear this, but: Being child-free doesn't mean being more available.”
Perhaps it is time we not only talk about equal maternity and paternity leave — which is very much needed to avoid discrimination in the workplace — but also to open the discussion about paid sabbatical leave for child-free employees or family and medical leaves that it is equal to the leave provided to parents.
With this article, I am not judging any personal choices — just the opposite, this is about understanding the world is evolving and there are many options available and that all of them are valid. It is our responsibility to build a world with equal opportunities and unfortunately this is another sensitive topic we tend to associate more with women and their careers.
In this documentary, we hear honest and intimate experiences from women who have made the decision to be child-free and the societal pressures they face. Whether you're a woman considering a child-free life or simply curious about this topic, this documentary is sure to inspire and inform.
Mercedes Blanco is chief partnerships officer at The Hotels Network and a founding member of Women in Travel Thrive.
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