We made the front page of the Examiner with our article on snow day and who stays at home
As snow and icy conditions disrupt daily life, working mothers are particularly affected, facing unique challenges in balancing their professional and family responsibilities. The impact of severe weather on mothers in the workplace highlights the need for more supportive and flexible working conditions.
So, it’s 2025 and of course Mums and Dads will be sharing the responsibility of staying at home to mind the kids, right?
Employflex, a flexible recruitment agency specialising in diversity hire and flexible work, conducted a quick straw poll on Monday 6th January, a snow day for many around the country. With over 250 respondents, 86% said that Mum is staying at home, 11% had childminders or grandparents to lean on and only 3% Dads had to miss work. Once again, Mum was left holding the baby.
Studies from the Economic and Social Research Institute found that women are more likely to take on the primary caregiving role and this traditional expectation continues to influence who stays at home during emergencies like snow days. The same study highlighted that women take on 76% of the domestic work in the home.
Women in Ireland are more likely to work in part time or flexible roles (CSO) which often places them in the position to take time off during school closures or bad weather.
COVID highlighted the uneven distribution of childcare responsibilities in Ireland and a survey from NUI Galway and the Western Development Commission (2020) found that women were more likely to manage home-schooling and childcare during lockdowns, a trend that extends to other disruptions like snow days.
Even though parents have, by law, ( Parental Leave Act 1998) the right to take unpaid leave for childcare, women are more likely to avail of this.
But it’s not just snow days though, it’s every time Johnny needs to go to the dentist or the baby has a doctor’s appointment. It’s half days for school service days and parent teacher meetings and holy days. It’s long summer holidays, Easter and midterms. It’s organising Christmas, birthdays, playdates and outings.
The impact on a woman’s career is well documented and the motherhood penalty accounts for over 80% of the gender pay gap.
Impact on a Mothers Career
The increased absenteeism can negatively affect a mother’s career progression. With more visibility in the workplace, the privileged dad on the other hand can benefit from a fatherhood bonus and proximity bias in his favour. Even though flexible work can keep mothers in the workplace, opting for flexible work can limit career growth and earning potential in the long run. The additional emotional and mental load can also lead to burnout and exhaustion as Mums juggle with their ‘second shift’ when they arrive home to the management of the household.
What can companies do?
Encouraging both parents to share childcare responsibilities equally through supportive workplace policies and cultural change is essential. This includes offering flexible working arrangements to all employees and promoting the uptake of paternity leave to challenge traditional norms.
There is no official adverse weather policy legally in Ireland so it’s up the individual companies or organisations to show up on these days.
‘Its very encouraging to see companies like BNY offering 10 paid caregiver days to their employees every calendar year’ says O’Reilly, ‘Companies that are being authentically flexible and accommodating are the companies who will attract the best people in the war for talent that is happening now and into the future.
Flexibility is a top priority when candidates are job hunting with our surveys showing that over 77% rate flexibility even higher than salary when looking for a new role; a win-win for all. Flexibility can mean so many different things, like flexi hours, hybrid work, work from home on snow days, part time work, job share, compressed hours, term time and a myriad of other flexi-options’
Recommendations for Employers:
• Flexible Work Arrangements: Offer remote work options or flexible hours to help mothers balance work and family responsibilities during snow days.
• Supportive Policies: Implement family-friendly policies, such as paid family leave or emergency childcare support, to reduce the burden on working mothers.
• Combat Bias: Provide training to managers and staff on unconscious bias and promote a workplace culture that values the contributions of working mothers.
• Mental Health Resources: Offer resources and support for mental health to help mothers manage stress and maintain well-being.
By understanding and addressing these challenges, employers can create a more inclusive and supportive workplace for mothers, helping them thrive professionally despite the additional responsibilities brought on by snow and icy conditions (and other surprises thrown their way) )
Male allies
The real transformation must occur within society itself. Historically, both workplaces and societal structures were shaped by our grandfathers, with our fathers in mind, operating under the assumption that someone else was at home managing the unpaid domestic duties. Today, we need male allies to step up, sharing household responsibilities equally and fully embracing their parental leave when necessary.
Only through such changes can we achieve true equality in both the workplace and the home. Perhaps one day, a snow day will result in a more balanced survey outcome, with an equal number of Mums and Dads sharing the responsibility of holding down the fort at home.
Karen O’Reilly is the founder of Employmum and Employflex, a recruitment agency specialising in diversity hiring and training.
www.employflex.ie
Link to the article is here