Kiwi businesses value returning mothers

Kiwi businesses value returning mothers

New Zealand businesses are world leaders at recognising the value of mothers returning to the workforce, according to a new global survey by Regus.

More than three out of four New Zealand respondents (77%) said they value the experience and skills of mothers coming back to work after having children, the highest result of any country in the survey.

Other countries that saw the value of returning mothers included the UK (73%), Australia (71%) and the USA (66%).

At the other end of the scale was France, where only 40% of respondents valued the experience and skills of returning mothers.

Paul Migliorini, Regus CEO Australia and New Zealand, says the survey reflects New Zealand’s well-deserved reputation for positive treatment of women.

“New Zealand was the first country in the world to allow women to vote, so it’s no surprise that Kiwis are leading the way at seeing what returning mothers can bring to their businesses,” he says.

“This is an economic issue as well as a social one. Making the most of the valuable asset that is working mothers helps New Zealand reach its full economic potential and gives it an advantage over its competitors.”

Other reasons returning mothers were valued included them being seen as more organised (38%), more reliable (29%), better time managers (26%) and more hardworking (25%).

Less commonly cited reasons included that returning mothers have more drive to prove their worth (15%) and they are more caring managers (13%).

Migliorini says the results show businesses value returning mothers for a range of different reasons, but mostly for their skills and experience.

“Women make up almost half the workforce, and most of them will have children at some stage in their lives, so it’s a big issue for businesses,” he says.

“Businesses need to have a strategy to retain top talent. With returning mothers they need to be aware of their particular needs, which often include greater flexibility. Regus offers a range of services that can support those needs.”

Regus client Anne Casey, a marketing consultant and mother of three children, says returning mothers bring a “focus” to their work that makes them valuable to employers.

She meets a lot of working mothers through women’s networks and through her business, Marketing Minds, which works mostly with SME clients.

“When you’re a returning mother you have to juggle everything. You know you have only so many hours to work, so your output is higher. There’s a lot less chit-chat around the coffee machine,” she says.

“It’s a two-way street. These mothers want a certain lifestyle and when companies that provide that it’s not taken for granted.”

Casey runs her business from her home in Ellerslie but earlier this year began using the Regus office in Newmarket one day a week for meetings. She says the facility has several advantages over having meetings at home or in coffee shops.

“The biggest benefit is it makes it look more professional. They don’t have to come to your house and see your washing and have your kids running around, and there’s more privacy than you would get at a cafe.”

www.regus.co.nz

ENDS

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