The COVID-19 pandemic placed a tremendous strain on working mothers. From juggling between work and family life to assisting children with online school - mothers never had it easy and the pandemic made matters worse.  

When asked about their experience of managing work during the pandemic, 51% of working mothers said they felt like quitting their jobs because of additional household responsibilities, reveals a survey conducted by online career platform for women JobsForHer to understand what working mothers want from employers and whether companies are paying enough attention to their needs.

On the upside, when it came to receiving adequate support from the employer during the pandemic, 59% said they did receive sufficient support, while 41% of them said they had trouble finding help, adds the survey with responses from 8000 working mothers.

Furthermore, as schools reopen and many organisations transition back to the workplace, working mothers shared their views regarding the family-friendly benefits they expect at the workplace. As per the survey, 38.6% of working mothers consider flexible work schedules the top priority, while 32.3% prefer remote work options. Also, 17% said they expect child-care assistance at the workplace, and 12.1% voted for mental health support to achieve a better work-life balance and advance their careers.

"The JobsForHer survey was conducted to understand the needs and expectations of working mothers so that companies can create a culture where working mothers have an equal chance to succeed. Flexible work schedules and remote work options are no longer a bonus but expected features of the workplace so that working parents, not just mothers, can manage their multiple responsibilities and bring their best to work," said Neha Bagaria, founder and CEO of JobsForHer, commenting on the survey findings.