|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Motherhood and professional work are often seen as two divergent paths for many Latinas. While motherhood is a rewarding experience, it can have a significant impact on professional careers, especially in a context where inequalities persist.
There are some data and statistics worth highlighting because Latina executives are not at equal footing as others:
- Latinas are perhaps the most underrepresented of any group of women at the beginning of their careers. This continues as they progress up the ladder to the C-suite. Of the 27 percent of women acceding the C-suite level, only 1 percent are Latinas, according to the State of Latinas in Corporate America 2024.
- Latinas suffer from a major pay gap. Even in corporate America, the pay gap remains the widest for Latinas with 36 percent pay versus men overall, and 14 percent less than white women on average, according to the US Census Bureau.
- Latina working mothers face an overload of work, due to the double and triple workdays as per their inherent culture: formal work, household chores, and childcare. This negatively impacts their physical and mental health.
As a working mother myself, motherhood has been source of strength and personal development. I have mastered skills such as organization, time management, decision-making, empathy, and the ability to work under pressure, which is incredibly valuable in the professional sphere.
I want to note that this a unique and personal experience. Each of us must decide how we want to live our motherhood and how we want to balance it with our professional life. There is no one right way to do it.
Strategies for Latina Working Mothers
As Latina mothers, we want to continue to progress. For that, on my experience and colleagues’ experiences, we need to develop a series of strategies to tackle the challenges we face on daily basis:
Develop a support network. Hispanic culture can be both a blessing and a challenge, but try to use your family network to support you in gaining time by helping with the kids’ caregiving and with household tasks. My friend Mariana relies on her sister to have her kids picked up from school. This support allows her to focus on her development while relying on trustful help.
Be organized and efficient. Time management is the key to success as a working mom still climbing the ladder. I plan my family schedule six to eight months ahead and share it with my family so we discuss the priorities together. Organizing early has helped me to avoid surprises, and I don’t feel that I have failed at my job of being a mom and a partner.
Be assertive. I learned late that most managers are receptive and genuinely sympathetic to women executives with kids. As a mom progressing in the organization, I used to think that any family/kid issue was just my issue, and that I had to find out, alone, ways to overcome any crisis. With time, I realized that my managers were open, listened, wanted to understand the situation and provide support. Assertively communicating our needs to our coworkers or boss is critical for not only our well-being but also the company’s success.
Take care of yourself. Balance is the holy grail everybody is looking for and talking so much about. I learned it the hard way. I didn’t disconnect or take time off during maternity leave, under the assumption that I could do it all and it would be OK. Effects on my physical and emotional health and well-being were terrible and long lasting. Since 2008, times have changed. We are more aware of our physical and mental well-being needs, but it’s still a key message I recommend: do not forget about yourself.
How to Support Latina Working Mothers
What can we do as Latina executives to help Latina moms progress in their career? I believe it’s necessary to advance the continued creations of more inclusive, flexible work environments that allow Latinas to balance their family with their professional lives.
Some measures include:
- Extending maternity and paternity leave with pay. This would allow parents to spend time caring for their children during the first few months of life. In my company, we have fantastic maternity leave policy, this has made a true difference for working executives.
- Implementing policies for flexible working. Remote work, flexible schedules, and reduced hours are measures that can facilitate work/life balance.
- Combating gender and maternity discrimination in the workplace. It is necessary to promote equal opportunities and eliminate discriminatory practices that impact Latinas’ careers if or when they become mothers. The 2024 State of Latinas in Corporate America highlights that only 52 percent of Latinas have access to work remotely versus 62 percent of white women.
Motherhood should not be an obstacle to women’s professional development. With proper support and awareness, Latinas can be successful mothers and professionals.
It is necessary to promote empathy, flexibility, and positivity on both a corporate and cultural level so that Latina working mothers can balance their family and professional lives.
It’s on us as Latinas to support others that are coming behind us. We must lead by example, showing the possibility of career success and a fulfilling family life without compromising one over the other.
Motherhood and professional work do not have to be a dichotomy for us.
Nathalie Darres is a marketing executive with over twenty years of experience in major consumer packaged goods (CPGs) in Latin America, Mexico, and the US. She is currently the VP of marketing at Reckitt Nutrition USA. She is an independent member of the board at HIR Insurance Mexico, active mentor for female executives, and former board member at the Swiss-Mexican Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Mexico. She is a passionate advocate for women empowerment in corporate culture and women in leadership roles.
