TechHR
ex
L&D
UNPLUGGED
Sphere
About Us • Contact Us
People Matters ANZ
People Matters Logo
Login / Signup
People Matters Logo
Login / Signup
  • Current
  • Top Stories
  • News
  • Magazine
  • Research
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • Podcast

© Copyright People Matters Media Pte. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

 

 

  • HotTopic
    HR Folk Talk FutureProofHR
  • Strategy
    Leadership Csuite StrategicHR EmployeeRelations BigInterview
  • Recruitment
    Employer Branding Appointments Permanent Hiring Recruitment
  • Performance
    Skilling PerformanceMgmt Compensation Benefits L&D Employee Engagement
  • Culture
    Culture Life@Work Diversity Watercooler SheMatters
  • Tech
    Technology HR Technology Funding & Investment Startups Metaverse
  • About Us
  • Advertise with us
  • Become a sponsor
  • Contact Us
  • Feedback
  • Write For Us

Follow us:

Privacy Policy • Terms of Use

© Copyright People Matters Media Pte. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

People Matters Logo
  • Current
  • Top Stories
  • News
  • Magazine
  • Research
  • Events
  • Videos
  • Webinars
  • Podcast
Login / Signup

Categories:

  • HotTopic
    HR Folk Talk FutureProofHR
  • Strategy
    Leadership Csuite StrategicHR EmployeeRelations BigInterview
  • Recruitment
    Employer Branding Appointments Permanent Hiring Recruitment
  • Performance
    Skilling PerformanceMgmt Compensation Benefits L&D Employee Engagement
  • Culture
    Culture Life@Work Diversity Watercooler SheMatters
  • Tech
    Technology HR Technology Funding & Investment Startups Metaverse
Supporting single mums in the workplace

Story • 16th Jan 2023 • 3 Min Read

Supporting single mums in the workplace

Compensation & BenefitsCulture

Author: Alyssa Navarro Alyssa Navarro
4.6K Reads
Companies must acknowledge that single parent, particularly single mum, families must be supported.

It’s true what they say: it takes a village to raise a child. Even if a single parent raises their child on their own, they will still need the assistance of the community around them. Support from friends, other family members, local single parent groups, places of worship, and others can be sources of help.

What about the situation of single parents inside the workplace? How can companies support them?

As of June 2022, there are one million single-parent families across Australia, which accounts for 14.2 per cent of all the families in the country. And about 82.8 per cent of this number are single mum families. These families need support, particularly single mum families.

Unfortunately, among single parent families with dependants, about 162,000 are jobless. At least 89 per cent of these single parent families had children aged 15 below. This equates to an estimated 276,000 aged 0-14 children in these single parent families.

Companies must acknowledge that single parent, particularly single mum, families must be supported. 

In an interview with Harvard Business Review, solo parent, and journalist Tanzina Vega said that a lot of organisations still assume that all parents are in couples, so there’s that assumption that the parent will there be at home.

“Companies have to acknowledge there are unique issues that single parents will run into,” said Vega.

How your organisation can support single parents

Single parents often experience stress and burnout because of the demands given to them by managers and bosses. To ease their burnout, organisations can do the following:

Hire and promote single parents

During the pandemic, many single mums were forced out of their companies. Organisations must try to re-hire them, as well as find a way to measure their work and opportunity for promotion without penalising them for the childcare they had to provide during the pandemic.

Create an inclusive company culture

How you advertise matters. Don’t default to using “for couples” or urge people to “bring couples.” What you can use is the phrase “Plus ones are welcome.” Additionally, managers must not assume that single parents do not want travel assignments. The best thing to do is to ask them.

Set boundaries and time for rest

During the pandemic, single mums simply worked more, which led to burnout. Companies can reinforce paid time off policies for single parents, ensuring that they have time away from work.

Help with childcare

Companies should create policies that provide childcare for their employees. This way, when single parents can’t be there for their children, they can be sure that they can be take care of.

Support public policies for single parents

On a systemic level, companies can support efforts to change public policies that have constraints on single parents. 

A study of single mums in Australia in the pandemic found that single mums experienced less stress and anxiety than partnered mums “because of the support that the government provided in offering direct aid and keeping childcare and school options open,” said sociologist Liana Sayer.

At the end of the day, companies must create policies that support single parent families. Assistance from different places, such as family members, friends, the government, and companies could go a long way.

Read More

Did you find this article helpful?


You Might Also Like

What you need to know about Perk Police

STORY • 18th Nov 2024 • 2 Min Read

What you need to know about Perk Police

Compensation & BenefitsBenefits & Rewards#HRTech#HRCommunity
How to address retirement shortfalls?

STORY • 1st Oct 2024 • 6 Min Read

How to address retirement shortfalls?

Compensation & BenefitsLife @ WorkBenefits & RewardsCorporate Wellness Programs#HRCommunity#Wellbeing
Aligning employee health and financial rewards

STORY • 2nd Aug 2024 • 6 Min Read

Aligning employee health and financial rewards

Compensation & BenefitsCultureHR AnalyticsBenefits & RewardsCorporate Wellness Programs#HRCommunity
NEXT STORY: Skills will be the currency of the new workplace: Cornerstone CEO Himanshu Palsule

Trending Stories

  • design-thinking-hr

    New tech incoming: how do you get people to accept it?

  • design-thinking-hr

    Why people metrics matter more than ever

  • design-thinking-hr

    ChatGPT Walks It Back — AI Giants Race Ahead

  • design-thinking-hr

    Skype is dead: Did Microsoft's leadership let a billion-doll...

People Matters Logo

Follow us:

Join our mailing list:

By clicking “Subscribe” button above, you are accepting our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Company:

  • About Us
  • Advertise with us
  • Become a sponsor
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

Contact:

  • Contact Us
  • Feedback
  • Write For Us

© Copyright People Matters Media Pte. Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Get the latest Articles, Insight, News & Trends from the world of Talent & Work. Subscribe now!
People Matters Logo

Welcome Back!

or

Enter your registered email address to login

Not a user yet? Lets get you signed up!

A 5 digit OTP has been sent to your email address.

This is so we know it's you. Haven't received it yet? Resend the email or then change your email ID.

People Matters Logo

Welcome! Let's get you signed up...

Starting with the absolulte basics.

Already a user? Go ahead and login!

A 5 digit OTP has been sent to your email address.

This is so we know it's you. Haven't received it yet? Resend the email or then change your email ID.

Let's get to know you better

We'll never share your details with anyone, pinky swear.

And lastly...

Your official designation and company name.