Almost three-quarters (74%) of mothers feel that employers should offer more flexible working hours, according to research by Now: Pensions.
Its report, which surveyed 2,003 UK mothers who are employed, on maternal leave, or in full-time employment, also found that almost one-third (29%) have had to reduce their working hours due to childcare-related reasons.
Two in five (40%) would like employers to help with childcare credits to ease the financial burden and over one-third (34%) want employers to offer on-site childcare facilities.
Mothers returning to work are also concerned about managing their workload, with more than a third (38%) struggling to get everything done in a shorter space of time if they have returned to work with fewer hours.
Almost one-half (46%) of working mothers struggle with work-life balance and 91% believe more women would be working if childcare was more accessible and affordable. Furthermore, almost three-quarters (69%) of mothers considered not going back to work at all because of the cost of childcare.
Eleanor Levy, director of marketing and communications at Now: Pensions, said: “Though progress has been made in enabling women to fulfil their working potential, they are still being disadvantaged for having children.
“More needs to be done by employers across the country to ensure that working mothers are given the support that they need. Offering more flexible working hours without compromising a woman’s pension pot is a crucial first step to ensuring equality in the workplace.”