Work Moms Do Would Cost You Half A Million
Most moms never cash a paycheck for the work they do at home, but if they did it could make some corporate executives consider a career change.
In today’s job market, a mom is worth more than $500,000. So says Edelman Financial Services Inc., which based its conclusion on the range of duties that mothers perform in a typical year.
Edelman determined what the median yearly salary would be for a multi-tasking mother asked to: raise children, cook meals, keep house, care for pets, dispense medication and nursing care, attend meetings and functions, manage family finances, provide transportation, assist with homework, listen to and resolve family problems, keep the family on schedule and maintain family order and harmony.
The firm drew up a list of 17 key occupations that covered those tasks, including: animal caretaker, executive chef, computer systems analyst, financial manager, food/beverage service worker, general office clerk, registered nurse, management analyst, child-care worker, housekeeper, psychologist, bus driver, elementary school principal, dietitian/nutritionist, property manager, social worker and recreation worker.
Adding up a typical wage for each of those jobs produced a grand total of $508,700.
“So if you haven’t given much thought to the benefits of having a mom, try finding the money you’d need to pay someone to do everything that she does,” said Ric Edelman, chairman of Edelman Financial.
Seeking accommodation
Working moms may not be nearly as torn between job and family as commonly believed.
A new poll by Sesame Street Parents magazine shows that 70 percent of working mothers are happy with their job-family combination.
The survey, which drew 10,000 replies, also determined that three out of five are satisfied with any compromises they have made.
“As we near a new century, moms seem more joyful and more comfortable with the work-and-family choices they are making,” said Susan Lapinski, editor of the magazine.
Among poll respondents, 70 percent work outside the home full or part time. They credit their satisfaction to a mom-friendly workplace and a trustworthy child-care provider.
New digs
The office environment of the future could be a vast departure from today’s standard.
New York-based HLW International expects corporate design to include such features as “green buildings, interactivity and family fun.”
Christopher Choa, a partner and corporate design director at HLW, says, “Companies are looking for more productive work environments that are technologically advanced yet warm and inviting. They want colorful and almost playful facilities that are interactive with the outside world.”