Hard times ahead for working moms

Bloemfontein - Globally, working mothers have less chance of getting a job this year than in 2010.

In a disturbing development regarding equal opportunities across the globe, a survey by Regus, an international supplier of office space, indicates that only 36% of those companies participating planned to hire mothers this year.
 
Last year 44% of the 10 000 companies interviewed indicated that they would employ working mothers.

In South Africa the trend is even more pronounced, with only 31% of all respondents stating that they would appoint more mothers, compared with the 51% prepared to do so a year ago.

If one considers that better economic conditions are making more jobs available, it’s worrying that working mothers' chances of being employed are on the decline, said Joanne Bushell, Regus’s vice-president for Africa and the Middle East.

The research shows that negative perceptions exist regarding working mothers dedication, reliability and skills.

Of the companies participating in the Regus survey, 37% were concerned that working mothers were less dedicated and adaptable than other workers, 33% feared that they would take maternity leave shortly after appointment, and 24% considered that mothers’ skills could be out of date.

Such preconceptions are common in difficult economic times, said André Venter, strategic development manager at the Uasa union.

- Sake24

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