Young moms searching for perfect work-life balance

'Mother jobs'

Some exploratory policies and measures have been introduced to help ease women's anxieties about the work-life balance and build a friendlier environment for families with young children.

For example, the southern province of Guangdong recently published a draft policy under which employers are encouraged to set up posts with flexible work schedules and relaxed management for women with children age 12 and younger. These positions have been nicknamed "mother jobs".

Also, companies and social organizations are encouraged to transfer some skills-based and administrative positions to young mothers. Official labor contracts should be signed and employers can negotiate with women in "mother jobs" regarding flexible working hours to accommodate family needs. Moreover, no extra workload can be imposed on such women without their consent.

According to the notice, the employers should not offer such mothers positions that involve heavy physical work or may cause physical injury, while companies are encouraged to provide nursing services for women in such jobs.

The notice said the local government will not only organize more campaigns to recruit mothers who need work, but also offer training in a wide range of practical skills to help them win jobs.

Administrative and legal supervision of these positions will be improved to crack down on improper behavior by employers that encroaches on the rights of women with children, such as failing to pay insurance or reducing their wages.

"The policy aims to help women balance work and family life, which is a supportive policy for the nation's call for a more positive birth policy. 'Mother jobs' can offer more employment opportunities for women with children and also help reduce their family's financial burden," said Pang Shi, director of the department of employment and entrepreneurship at the Chinese Academy of Personnel Science.

Guo Sheng, CEO of the recruitment portal Zhaopin, said the policy could also help relieve recruitment pressure on companies, improve their image and help them shoulder social responsibilities.

"In the short term, women can win opportunities to pursue their career dreams and gain a sense of achievement. They can also improve their sense of happiness by caring for their families and working via flexible schedules," he said.

"It can also help reduce gender discrimination over the long term and reduce obstacles that prevent women from getting jobs because of marital status, which is beneficial to their high-quality employment."

He said that the establishment and management of "mother jobs" can help companies reduce their personnel management and monitoring costs, and stabilize their work team for higher efficiency and satisfaction. Meanwhile, companies should also pay more attention to the coordination of personnel in case the flexible working hours result in complaints from other employees.

Guo suggested that companies should devise corresponding management systems for women in "mother jobs" that allow for the differences in working hours and approaches between regular workers and "mothers", as they may result in complex situations and cause difficulties for employers and managers.