National event calls for urgent action to tackle the motherhood penalty

"Motherhood doesn't reduce potential. It reveals it."

That was the powerful message at a national event co-organised by The Open University Business School's Mumentum research team and Beyond the School Run, which brought together employers, founders, coaches and parents to explore how workplaces can better support mothers returning to work.

Hosted by Barclays in Canary Wharf, the event focused on tackling the "motherhood penalty" - the barriers many women continue to face when returning to work and progressing their careers after having children. These challenges can have lasting consequences for earnings, career progression and workplace participation, while also limiting employers' ability to retain valuable talent.

The event highlighted the growing need for organisations to rethink how they support working parents and create inclusive workplaces where mothers can thrive and progress.

Mumentum is a flagship Open University initiative, informed by research within the Business School, which aims to support mothers in making a sustainable return to work or study after starting a family. It reflects the University's commitment to widening opportunity and advancing social justice through research that drives meaningful change.

A panel of inspiring speakers, including Louise Hill, Founder of GoHenry, Nicola Piercy, Co-Founder of Stripe & Stare, and Alla Ouvarova, Co-Founder of Two Chicks, shared their experiences and insights, sparking practical discussions about how employers can remove barriers and unlock the potential of working mothers.

Kendal Wright, Lecturer at The Open University Business School and co-lead of the Mumentum research, said:

"We need to change outdated narratives about motherhood and work. Without inclusive workplace practices that enable women to stay in work, utilise their skills and progress their careers, employers will miss out on a significant talent pool. Mothers bring a unique combination of skills, experience and perspectives that can strengthen organisations, communities and society.

We are delighted to work with Beyond the School Run on this event in our mutual aim of driving real workplace and societal change, widening access to opportunity and supporting women at every stage of their career journey."

During the event, Kendal shared practical toolkits developed by the Mumentum team to support both parents and employers before, during and after parental leave. Published in collaboration with the Department for Work and Pensions, the resources have been distributed across more than 650 Jobcentre Plus locations in Great Britain, with parallel distribution through the Department for Communities in Northern Ireland.

Importantly, the research underpinning the toolkits reflects the experiences of groups often overlooked in discussions about parental leave and employment, including mothers working in frontline roles, those with shift-based working patterns and ethnic minority mothers.

The research points to several practical actions employers can take to better support returning parents, including equipping managers with the skills to support employees through pregnancy, parental leave and return-to-work transitions; embedding meaningful flexible working practices; providing tailored re-onboarding support; creating mentoring and peer networks; and ensuring clear, transparent pathways for career progression.

By bringing together research, lived experience and employer engagement, the event showcased how The Open University Business School is helping organisations address one of the most significant challenges facing workplace equality today and enabling talented mothers to fulfil their potential.

Image L-R: Francesca Calo, Wenjin Dai, Keely Duddin, Kendal Wright, Chaitali Patel, Ivana Lickova, Hannah Rickard, Jill Miller. Credit: Photographer Thea Baddiley of @theasmumclub.