By WCorp Editorial Team

#BreakTheBias | #CareWorkIsWork | #EquityInAction

The Talent Is There. The Support Is Missing.

Every year, thousands of women step back from their careers, not because they lack ambition, but because workplaces continue to overlook what they actually need to stay and thrive.

Right now, nearly one in five working mothers (19%) have considered reducing their hours or leaving their job because of difficulties balancing work and childcare. More than 249,000 working mothers of children aged four and under have reportedly left their employer for these reasons, driven by lack of flexible working and childcare support. (Totaljobs, The Guardian)

These aren’t personal choices made lightly. They’re decisions shaped by the absence of systems that recognise caregiving and flexibility as professional realities.

The Pay Gap Is Powered by Structural Penalties

Research shows the ‘motherhood penalty’ is a major driver of the gender pay gap — some analyses find it explains a very large share (estimates in the literature reach as high as ~80% in specific studies). That penalty shows up as career stagnation, missed promotions and lower wages following childbirth. (IWPR, World Economic Forum)

But this penalty extends well beyond the early parenting years.

Today, the unequal distribution of unpaid care is a big part of the problem: around six in ten unpaid carers are female, and many carers combine paid work with substantial unpaid care responsibilities. At the same time, four in ten women with partners say they are responsible for most or all household work, increasing the pressure on women to scale back paid hours or seek more flexible (often lower-paid) roles. (Carers UK, McKinsey & Company)

This reflects structural imbalance and highlights the challenges beyond commitment.

What Businesses Are Letting Slip Away

When women step back or step out, teams lose high performers, departments lose momentum, and leadership pipelines lose diversity and depth. There’s a cost to every disengaged or departing employee, and a larger cultural cost when others see that support is out of reach.

Burnout spreads, ambition stalls, and retention efforts fail when women aren’t set up to succeed despite their desire to lead. Studies show that everyday microaggressions, lack of manager support and absent re-entry programs make women more likely to consider quitting — and companies that don’t fix those things see higher attrition among female talent. (McKinsey & Company)

Designing Work for the Real World

Supporting women in the workplace requires rethinking how work is structured, measured, and supported at every level. This includes addressing caregiving, life-stage needs, and modern flexibility without penalty, rather than simply offering perks or one-off accommodations.

Equity needs to be a core part of the operational strategy instead of an afterthought.

What Leading Companies Are Building

• Inclusive parental leave that supports all caregivers
• Flexible scheduling that’s respected across all levels and roles
• Clear re-entry programmes for returning parents and caregivers
• Equitable promotion metrics that eliminate bias tied to availability or face time
• Supportive cultures where career progression doesn’t require personal sacrifice

These ideas are modern standards essential for keeping top talent engaged and advancing.

Culture Shapes Career Paths

The long-term consequences of inaction include missed promotions, lost headcount, and moments when capable, committed professionals start to question if they’re truly welcome to stay.

And when enough people leave for the same reasons, the message to those still inside becomes impossible to ignore.

Build the Conditions for Long-Term Success

At WCorp, we help organisations turn values into infrastructure, through certification, leadership training, and equity-centred policy design that reflect today’s workforce demands.

✔️ Assess the experience of caregivers in your company

✔️ Rethink your leadership development pathways

✔️ Build the systems that turn retention into a strength

The potential is already in your workforce. The challenge is making sure it doesn’t walk out the door.