The big exodus: how companies failed parents
Parents, and especially non white ones are leaving their employment massively, with most of them planning to start their own business, a recent McKenzie report found.
The survey includes data on 5,774 people of working age, parents and nonparents, in Australia, Canada, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States in August 2021.
The top three factors employees cited as reasons for quitting were that
- they didn’t feel valued by their organizations (54 percent)
- or their managers (52 percent)
- or because they didn’t feel a sense of belonging at work (51 percent).
The evidence showed that non-white parents plan to leave at higher rates than their white counterparts. For instance, fully half of non-white fathers surveyed said they were planning to leave their jobs. Non-white mothers are planning to leave at higher rates than White mothers, at 43 percent to 34 percent.
Notably, employees who classified themselves as non-white or multiracial were more likely than their white counterparts to say they had left because they didn’t feel they belonged at their companies—a major worrying signal that recruiting for diversity is not enough – inclusion must follow.
The research showed that these issues affect all types of employees alike. However, there are key factors contributing to why parents are leaving that are distinct from nonparents. Of more than 20 possible reasons given for leaving their job in the past six months, parents cited caring for family as a top five reason, while nonparents cited family near the bottom of the list.
Parents represent a valuable workforce for the companies: employees in mid-senior and senior levels who play key managerial and individual-contributor roles. They have reached leadership roles or are on a trajectory for them. Going out massively, they strike a strong blow in their organisations taking out institutional knowledge, managerial capabilities and mentorship pipeline.
19 million U.S. workers have left their employment since April 2021, according to the same source: this trend is not a joke and employers have already started paying the price of not adapting to the societal needs.
How long will it take companies to realise that when they hire people, they come with a full life circle? That it is not a surprise that their employees will get ill, will get kids, or lose a beloved one, will want holidays or sick leaves.
The fact that employees are leaving maybe a victory for them; but above all is the failure of the employers to see them as comprehensive human beings and not single-dimensional workers.
Moonshot News is an independent European news website for all IT, Media and Advertising professionals, powered by women and with a focus on driving the narrative for diversity, inclusion and gender equality in the industry.
Our mission is to provide top and unbiased information for all professionals and to make sure that women get their fair share of voice in the news and in the spotlight!
We produce original content, news articles, a curated calendar of industry events and a database of women IT, Media and Advertising associations.
