Is there a possibility that women seem to mentally degenerate after giving birth?
The market seems to think so.
According to Professor and Author Gayle Kaufman, studies reveal that a woman loses around 4.8 per cent for taking one year of maternity leave and 1.3 per cent per year beyond the initial year of parental leave.
To put this into perspective, a fresh graduate with absolutely no work experience is braced to gain 4 per cent in their salary this year simply by virtue of the average salary increases in countries like the USA, but a woman who can have five, ten or more years of experience is somehow losing her salary at a greater percentage because of childbirth.
Kaufman mentions that each month of maternity leave incurs a penalty of around 0.4 per cent. Does the same penalty apply for an individual on a month long vacation or on disability leave?
According to research interviews conducted by TendLabs CEO Amy Henderson, mothers realized that they “were performing better in their careers because of their kids, not in spite of them”.
The arguments explaining the motherhood penalty usually center around how women are unable to balance home and work, the required number of hours and thus, incapable of investing the same amount of effort. But the statistics above makes one think that it may be a question of mindset especially if a penalty begins right when a child is born.
London School of Economics Professor Almudena Sevilla also introduces a valid query of “why initial levels of employment and work hours are not recovered,” even after a women rejoins the workforce and increases her number of hours after childbirth.
Working after motherhood: immigrants’ experiences in North America
How the brain changes
A 2024 research claims that pregnancy results in changes in the brain but these are temporary and reverse months after childbirth. There is also research that suggests these brain changes might also apply to fathers, adoptive parents and even nurses in the NICU.
And some studies using the ‘BrainAGE’ algorithm claim that women who previously gave birth had ‘younger-looking’ brains in middle age compared to those who never gave birth.
Overall the consensus in the medical community is that this is an area that requires appreciably more research. But we can at least analyze certain business skills that are implemented post child-birth or during parental leave.
Business skills that are imperative in a worker are employed as if on “steroids” during this period of time which why numerous women state that maternity leave is not a vacation.
These include multi-tasking, time management, emotional intelligence, creativity, project management, organization skills and working under stress.
According to research interviews conducted by TendLabs CEO Amy Henderson, mothers realized that they “were performing better in their careers because of their kids, not in spite of them”.
Her research claims that parenthood results in the development of certain skills that are essential for future business success. These skills include emotional intelligence, courage, resilience, productivity and ambition.
Main cause of gender inequality
It appears that the motherhood penalty has quite a significant trickle down effect on the ongoing issue of the gender pay gap. According to the World Economic Forum, the ‘motherhood penalty’ makes up 80% of the gender pay gap.
With mothers accounting for 25 per cent of the world’s population, it seems unlikely for the gender pay gap to be addressed only through the current proposed solutions like child care subsidies and paternity leave as at the end of the day it is a question of mindset. In fact, the pay gap increased for the first time in 20 years, according to US Bureau Data.
It is time to reevaluate why an asset is devalued to such an extent despite producing what people deem a miracle.
The article does not necessarily reflect the opinion of Business Recorder or its owners
The writer is a HR professional based in the US
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