The global pandemic has caused one in four women (and three out of four Black women) to consider leaving or cutting back on their careers. The added burdens of working from home while caring for kids have taken their toll.
One group that’s particularly vulnerable to leaving their jobs, pandemic or not, is new moms. For employers, it’s important to find ways to support these new parents. Experiencing high turnover within that demographic can directly impact a company’s bottom line—and reputation.
As one solution, many employers are offering opportunities for working moms to connect through parenting classes and new-parent groups.
A recent Forbes article advises employers that parent-employee groups can create “a better environment” for new parents returning to work: “When your business becomes a place that holds solutions to your employees’ work-life balance challenges, such as parenting, loyalty increases and employees feel more understood and valued not just their work output, but for who they are.”
Many employers throughout Minnesota and the Midwest are partnering with Amma Parenting to provide new-parent classes to their workforce.
“Our mom and baby classes are a unique hybrid of education and support,” says Gwen Martin, Amma’s CEO. “We find that working moms benefit greatly from the connections they gain with other parents who are experiencing similar challenges.”
It’s not uncommon for moms to form lifelong friendships that started in Amma’s classes and groups. That kind of support makes a lasting difference for the parents, the kids, and the employers.