When Motherhood Is Punished at Work: Why 87% of Working Moms Stay Quiet

I was working in Corporate when I had my daughter, during the unavoidable “daycare sickness” era, the neverending 3 -6 months of fever, sniffles, vomiting and being sent home from daycare. I found myself stressed as I tried to balance motherhood, a company that “understood”  that family comes first and yet, I found myself apologizing every time my kid came on the call because she needed me. I was torn, I felt that something was systemically broken.

How do we reshape a broken paradigm that mothers can “have it all” when behind the smiles lies a darker reality, one that shows how deeply motherhood is still penalized in workplaces.

A recent survey from LiveCareer reveals alarming trends: 87% of working moms avoid mentioning their children at work for fear it will hurt their career. 94% say if they could choose again, they’d pick a more family-friendly career.

These numbers aren’t just statistics, they’re a lived reality for millions. And they signal something urgent: the way we hire, manage, and structure workplaces is broken and built for an era where our grandfathers would be the “breadwinners” and our grandmothers would “take care of the household”. Our reality is that we cannot afford to live in a single income household anymore, women desire to have children and make an impact in their careers and our infrastructure doesn’t support moms at work (lack of childcare support, maternity leave subsidies).

In this post, we’ll unpack the costs, root causes, Canadian context, and practical ways to shift the power imbalance, so that being a parent at work is not a liability, but a source of strength. When we employ moms, give them flexibility and empower them to support the household, everyone wins.

Why These Findings Matter More Than You Think

This data is a setting off red flags and sirens (is also not shocking):

• 86% believe taking maternity leave hurt their career or cost them a promotion

• 93% have been criticized for leaving early or managing child-related demands

• 55% changed jobs or reduced hours due to childcare costs

• 36% left the workforce entirely due to childcare barriers

  
  

Those are not edge cases — they’re profound indicators of systemic bias.

The Canadian lens: this is happening here too

• Canadian mothers face a “motherhood penalty”: a study found that in Canada, mothers’ earnings drop 49% in the first year after birth and remain ~34% lower even 10 years later. WomanACT

• In Canada, 33% of working mothers report discrimination related to being a mother (e.g. overlooked for opportunities, denied promotion) Benefits Canada.com

• 66% of Canadian working moms now say they will only consider roles offering flexibility — work‑from‑home, remote, or flexible hours. Benefits Canada.com

• Among mothers with children under 6, Canada’s labour force participation is now about 79.7%:  up sharply over decades. The Vanier Institute of the Family+1

  
  

This is everybody's problem. It’s global, structural and felt deeply across Canada.

The Hidden Damage of Motherhood Bias in Hiring & Work

Let’s call it what it is: a power imbalance. When employers hold all the cards in recruitment and culture, candidates (especially mothers) are forced into silence, self-censorship, and strategic hiding.

Here’s what that imbalance does:

• Distorts hiring truth: Women don’t say what they really need or want. They downplay their caregiving responsibilities out of fear.

• Fuels resignations: People walk away from roles they once loved because the structural stress is unsustainable.

• Undermines diversity and inclusion efforts: You think you’ve built an inclusive culture until you see who self-selects out.

• Damages employer brand: Candidates will talk. Negative stories spreading about hidden bias can hurt your ability to attract top talent.

  
  

If we don’t confront this, we’ll keep seeing the same talent leak out, especially moms, caregivers, and underrepresented leaders.

How to Redesign Hiring & Work Culture to Stop the Power Imbalance for Moms at work

1. Balance it by making it PARENTAL leave, a split between moms and dads

When men are socially accepted to take parental leave, it allows women to go back to work earlier and gives dad some good bonding time with their children as well.

2. Reassess your own company/ self bias on working moms

Do not assume/ eliminate this thinking:

• We are hiring her in childbearing age, this could be hurtful for the business

• Working moms on mat leave do not want to be involved in the business, they do!

• Relook at mat leave policies to support moms (more flexibility, work on deliverables vs strict timelines, not feeling bad for being a parent while working)

  
  

3. Normalize parenthood in job ads and culture

• Mention “we support parents” explicitly

• Use inclusive language (avoid “overtime always required”, “face-time culture”)

• Show real stories of mothers and caregivers in your team

• Come up with new Parental Support Policies

  
  

4. Train hiring teams on unconscious motherhood bias

Teach specific red flags (e.g. assuming commitment is less for a mother, or punishing schedule constraints as lack of ambition).

TIP: Include structured scoring and consistent questions to reduce subjective bias.

5. Maintain communication through leaves & transitions

Don’t treat maternity leave as “out of sight, out of mind.”In Canada, 79% of mothers say their return to work was mishandled or poorly supported. SavvyMom. Bridge transitions with return plans, phased weeks, check-ins, and re-onboarding.

6. Rethink accountability and metrics

Track:

• Promotion rates for mothers vs others

• Retention post‑leave

• Uptake of flexible policies

• Feedback surveys from mothers on support

  
  

Hold leadership accountable for equity, not just inclusion language.

TL;DR: How we can reframe “Moms at Work”

✅ Hiring can be balanced between moms and dads, making it a true parental leave

✅ Acknowledge the motherhood penalty and act explicitly to undo it

✅ Embed flexibility, clarity, and parental support in role design and culture

✅ Train your hiring teams to catch and dismantle motherhood bias

✅ Keep lines open during leave. Come back gracefully. Don’t ghost.

When we stop punishing mothers for being human, we open up space for loyalty, innovation, and sustainable leadership.