The Mommy Track
September 3rd 2008 13:34
In my management role, when a woman I know is pregnant I hear different concerns. The number one concern is typically the baby and what will happen once it’s born. You know – how will it change their lives.
On the other hand, those that weren’t planning a pregnancy often have completely different concerns. Once example of this happens to be regarding what happens at work. Some women are worried that they will be place on the “mommy track.” This is where they get passed for promotion because you don’t want a woman at a certain level to be taking time off for work. Guess what – that’s discrimination.
I had what I thought was my last child in 1999. When I took my last position, I was the youngest of all the managers by a good twenty years. All of the others were in their late-fifties and here I was in my late-thirties. I never let age be a factor in my work because I know I have the skills and knowledge to do my job.
When I became pregnant in 2006, my employer nearly flipped out. My own boss didn’t say it directly to me but did tell another manager what a mistake it was for me to have another baby. She said that it would destroy all of the confidence the executive leadership had in my abilities and would create many problems while I took a long vacation (referring to my maternity leave). Now I had no actual proof other than hearsay that she had said this so what could I do?
When I returned from maternity leave this last time, it was actually very different than in past experiences. The culture of the organization would not let me recover. They considered me on the “mommy track” and cut me off. Opportunities were no longer available to me and there was no hope for advancement.
I jumped ship at that point. It was a difficult decision to make, but there were many other factors involved that made me realize that my financial situation would be hurt if I stayed with that organization. Instead I went to a more impressive company with better pay, bonuses, stock options, etc. What was the “mommy track” at one organization became the push I needed to find a better job.
Any new mom's out there experiencing this with their employer, don't feel like you have to stay there. Rankings for top places for mother's to work are ranked in several national magazines. You may actually find a place that provides better support and increased opportunities for you as a new mom.
On the other hand, those that weren’t planning a pregnancy often have completely different concerns. Once example of this happens to be regarding what happens at work. Some women are worried that they will be place on the “mommy track.” This is where they get passed for promotion because you don’t want a woman at a certain level to be taking time off for work. Guess what – that’s discrimination.
I had what I thought was my last child in 1999. When I took my last position, I was the youngest of all the managers by a good twenty years. All of the others were in their late-fifties and here I was in my late-thirties. I never let age be a factor in my work because I know I have the skills and knowledge to do my job.
When I became pregnant in 2006, my employer nearly flipped out. My own boss didn’t say it directly to me but did tell another manager what a mistake it was for me to have another baby. She said that it would destroy all of the confidence the executive leadership had in my abilities and would create many problems while I took a long vacation (referring to my maternity leave). Now I had no actual proof other than hearsay that she had said this so what could I do?
When I returned from maternity leave this last time, it was actually very different than in past experiences. The culture of the organization would not let me recover. They considered me on the “mommy track” and cut me off. Opportunities were no longer available to me and there was no hope for advancement.
I jumped ship at that point. It was a difficult decision to make, but there were many other factors involved that made me realize that my financial situation would be hurt if I stayed with that organization. Instead I went to a more impressive company with better pay, bonuses, stock options, etc. What was the “mommy track” at one organization became the push I needed to find a better job.
Any new mom's out there experiencing this with their employer, don't feel like you have to stay there. Rankings for top places for mother's to work are ranked in several national magazines. You may actually find a place that provides better support and increased opportunities for you as a new mom.
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