Want a Hard Worker? Employ a Mum

BIRMINGHAM, England - Working mums work harder than other employees - with almost two-thirds of
companies recruiting mothers over other staff.

A new survey of 49 UK businesses reveals 61.4 per cent consider working
mums to be better value employees than men or women without children.

Three quarters of companies quizzed claimed working mums had superior
organisational skills compared to other employees. A huge 62.5 per cent
actively recruited mums because of increased productivity while half thought
mums made ideal staff as they were likely to remain with the company.

A staggering 100 per cent of companies surveyed by mums’ organisation
‘Mums in Control’ said they would employ an experienced working mother over a
younger childless woman.

Rachael Taplin, founder of working mums organisation Mums in Control
said: “We were surprised at the findings. Every mum knows you have to be
organised and efficient to run a home - so it’s great to see companies
acknowledging this too. Many of the skills you need to be a mum are easily
transferred to the workplace.”

All of the companies questioned said working mothers were the most
focused and organised employees as they have to leave at a set time each day.

HR Consultant Alan Barnes said: “Many firms now actively recruit working
mums as they work so hard. We’ve found a mum can get more done in four hours
than some employees do in eight.

Mums generally work because they really want the job and it makes them
great employees.”

However, despite being valued by their employers, many working mothers
felt their roles went unrecognised. Almost forty per cent of employers
admitted their working mums felt ‘low value’ in the workplace. And
worryingly, 12.5 per cent of companies admitted employing working mums as
they believed mums had lower salary expectations than other staff.

Over 80 per cent of companies now employ working mums and the latest
statistics show 70 per cent of mums with dependent children work.

Just under half of companies offer job-share, or flexible working
arrangements to try to retain working mothers, with a further 12.5 per cent
of companies thinking of introducing it. Of the companies running flexible
working, 100 per cent of working mums have taken up the scheme with 50 per
cent of working fathers also showing interest.

Case studies, images and interviews available on request.

Notes to Editors:

Set up by entrepreneur Rachael Taplin in 2006, Mums in Control originally
provided online advice for women considering returning to work or setting up
their own business. The huge success of the website - attracting members from
all over the UK - inspired Rachael to create Mums in Control magazine,
featuring national and tailored local content. It remains the only national
publication targeting working mothers.

The enormous success of the magazine has led to a wider Government
advisory role and Rachael and her business partner Gill are involved in
campaigning on issues such as improved flexible working, and women
entrepreneurs. Last year, Mums in Control launched the inaugural Working Mums
Day and this year Mums in Control are teaming up with The Athena Network, the
UK’s premier networking organization for women in business, to launch a
national Conference for women in business.

Contact: angie@mumsincontrol.co.uk

Source: Mums in Control

Contact Gillian Gibbons on +44(0)7795-342804; For comment on the findings from the Equality and Human Rights Commission, contact Press Office +44(0)203-117-0255