Dubai: On average, 77 per cent of mothers in the UAE who have taken time out from their careers to have children are keen to get back to work showed a recent UAE survey.
The study was conducted by Mums@Work, a new online platform that was launched in the UAE to give mums the opportunity to revitalise their careers and connect with employers across the region.
Together with YouGov, Mums@Work carried out a survey among 1,000 mums in March, contacting them by phone and email through a recruitment firm called Mackenzie Jones.
“The findings are extremely interesting and further strengthen our commitment to providing a platform that gives the 77 per cent of mothers across the UAE the opportunities that they are looking for. This platform brings a solution that so many mothers, not to mention employers, are crying out for,” said Louise Karim, managing director of Mums@Work.
The survey showed that among mothers aged between 30-39, 88 per cent had either returned or were eager to get back to work. However, almost half of the mothers looking to return to work would only do so if there were flexible or part-time working options available.
With flexibility being the biggest barrier, juggling both family and workplace commitments was an issue for more than a third of the participants.
“Around 38 per cent of the respondents claimed that inflexible work options stop them from having a career,” said Karim.
She pointed out that many mothers listed other challenges such as the need for support in the process of returning to the workplace, and factors such as company culture as barriers that affected their decisions.
“It can be anything from CV development to interview techniques that they might need help in,” explained Karim.
Women in high positions
Studying the UAE market, Karim pointed out that women, and women with children, hold many senior positions. “There is a wealth of women in this market who have taken time off to raise their children and after either a short or extended break, are not sure of the best route back to their chosen profession that also suits their family,” she explained.
According to the research carried out by Mums@Work, the number one driver for mums returning to work was financial stability, with 19 per cent returning for the independence that comes with employment.
The new platform aims to not only connect candidates and clients, but to help guide, mentor and ensure that these women have the skills and the confidence they need to get the jobs they want, with the right working hours to suit their families, said Karim.
“Gone are the days when women have to choose between a family and their careers,” she added.
Karim, who is also a mother of two, said she can relate to mothers who feel apprehensive about returning to work after having a child, however, she believes the right part-time job and reliable childcare is what each mother needs to continue working on her career.
Best of both worlds
Highlighting the need for such a service in today’s climate, David Mackenzie, Founder at Mums@Work, also emphasised the possibility of mothers having the best of both worlds — motherhood and a career.
“There is such a huge wealth of talent in the form of women who have had successful careers and have chosen to dedicate time to their families,” he said. Through research and experience in the market, Mackenzie said that often after the first few years, once children start nursery/school, mothers are looking for opportunities to revitalise their careers and get back into the workplace, but with hours to suit them. However, what many people are unaware of is that there are also an increasing number of employers looking for highly skilled employees who are flexible in their work patterns, he said.
“This platform offers the perfect solution; an answer to the war on talent, while bringing significant savings to employers — who can hire employees on a part-time, as opposed to full-time basis,” he said.
“Everyone wins and we see an influx of talent to the job market,” added Mackenzie.
Registration
To date, www.mumsatwork.ae has over 2,000 registrations and aims to fully launch their website in the upcoming weeks. The new site will include a full job board covering all sectors and a range of industries and roles for mothers to choose from. It will also provide a career hub for mums along with advice and training opportunities from experts to assist in the smooth transition back into the workplace.
Those looking to register their interest, whether as a candidate or client, can visit www.mumsatwork.ae
