The Motherhood Penalty and Career Progression: Continuing Career Growth After Motherhood

Skill and Ambition aren't enough for career progression

Opportunity exists, but access doesn't.

Recent studies and research show that job vacancies have increased year after year, particularly in the tech and finance sectors. However, hiring has not. Rising business costs, firm closures, higher taxes, and increased interest rates, as well as other macroeconomic pressures, have slowed recruitment. As a result, unemployment levels in the UK are at an all time high. And it’s a similar trend in other markets globally.

And yet, within this challenging landscape, some sectors continue to hire. Finance, accounting, technology, AI & data, analytics, cybersecurity, fintech, healthcare and social care are all seeing sustained demand. So, senior recruiters and hiring managers tell me that for people who are skilled, driven, and willing to put themselves forward, progression can still happen quickly. The demand is there.

On the surface, this sounds positive. But the reality is far more complex for some.

For example, when the conversation turns to women, particularly mothers or anyone with caring responsibilities, the narrative changes.

While opportunities may exist in theory, in practice, many women continue to fall off career tracks, not because of a lack of ambition or ability, but because of systemic and structural barriers that quietly shape outcomes and force them to make a choice. So opportunity alone doesn’t guarantee access to progress, no matter how good you are at your job.

The playing field shifts dramatically after children enter the picture. This gap between opportunity and access is where I believe the motherhood penalty lies.

What the Data Says About the Motherhood Penalty and Career Progression:

• Mothers experience a significant drop in earnings after having children

• Career progression slows or stalls post-maternity leave

• Women are more likely to move into flexible or part-time roles that quietly cap growth

• Many leave sectors like finance, consulting and tech mid-career, not because they lack skill or drive. They lean out because the system becomes incompatible with their reality.

We see this play out in real life. Recently, there was a public discussion about an NHS doctor who felt compelled to misrepresent her working hours so she could leave early to collect her child from daycare. This isn’t an isolated story. It’s a reflection of how corporate work cultures and systems clash with caregiving realities.

This is not about motivation.

It’s not about skill gaps.

It’s not about women “opting out”.

It’s about structure, bias, and workplace cultures built on work models designed during the industrial era, where productivity was measured by presence, long hours, and constant availability rather than outcomes or contribution. And this raises a bigger question. If the nature of work is more knowledge based, digital, outcome driven, why are we still measuring value using outdated frameworks?

In these old structures, even highly experienced women face barriers that are often invisible but deeply entrenched:

• Assumptions about reduced commitment after motherhood

• Fewer stretch assignments, growth and sponsorship opportunities

• Bias around availability and ambition

• Cultures that reward visibility and presenteeism over outcomes

Women often have to work harder to be seen as equally committed, while operating with less time, energy, and margin. The result is a glass ceiling reinforced not by lack of talent or commitment, but by outdated systems.

Why Women Fall Off Career Tracks Mid-Career

One of the most overlooked impacts of the motherhood penalty and career progression isn’t just financial, it’s psychological. Years of navigating career interruptions, subtle bias, being passed over, needing to constantly “prove” readiness and commitment can quietly erode confidence, trust in the system, and the drive to compete at all.

And no, this doesn’t disappear overnight just because:

• Paternity leave policies now exist

• flexibility is written into handbooks

• organisations claim to be “family-friendly”

Change on paper is not the same as change in practice.

So, What Can Women Do, while the System Catches Up?

Let me say this clearly first:

It is unfair that the onus keeps falling back on women to navigate a broken system to grow.

And yet, many women still want and deserve fulfilling, progressive careers now, not someday when systems finally evolve.

So this isn’t about “fixing women”.

It’s about equipping women to move forward without self-blame, while continuing to challenge the system itself.

Continuing Career Growth After Motherhood

How to access opportunities for career progression within imperfect systems:

1. Move from quiet excellence to strategic visibility

Unfortunately, just doing great work isn’t always enough.

Impact needs to be seen, acknowledged, and connected to outcomes, especially in environments where promotion decisions happen behind closed doors.

2. Seek sponsorship, not just mentorship

Mentors advise.

Sponsors advocate when you’re not in the room.

Many of us underestimate how critical sponsorship is to progression. Progression accelerates when someone with influence is willing to speak for you.

3. Rebuild confidence intentionally after breaks

Career breaks don’t erase capability, but they tend to shake self-belief and often affect confidence. Tracking achievements (past and present), reframing experience, and acting before feeling “ready” matter.

4. Be selective about flexibility

Flexibility is essential, but not all flexible roles support growth.

The question isn’t just “Can I manage this role?”

It’s “Will this role still grow me?”

5. Choose environments, not just opportunities

Some cultures are evolving faster than others.

Some companies are making much needed shifts in their systems and culture to support everyone equally. So, if you are returning to work, search for jobs and companies by the things you care about. Look for values and culture fit.

Where you invest your energy matters.

In conclusion, the reality is that

👉 The system is still biased, slow, and often performative in its change.

👉 Women still deserve tools, clarity, and support to navigate it without burning out or shrinking themselves.

👉 Some organisations, such as Google, Salesforce, Microsoft, Facebook Meta, Adobe, and LinkedIn, are actively rethinking their systems, policies and culture, and they show us what’s possible when flexibility, progression, and caregiving are treated as compatible.

These examples matter (even if implementation isnt always perfect and varies by team, manager and role). They remind us that change is possible. Real progress will require us to rethink how we define productivity, contribution, and performance. We need to move away from hours logged and visibility, and toward impact, outcomes, and sustainability, not just for parents, but for the future of work itself. Until this becomes the norm rather than the exception, women will continue to have to navigate these realities at once.

This is not about telling women to “try harder”.

It’s about acknowledging the current reality and learning to move through it with agency, strategy, and self-trust.

And alongside that, continuing to push organisations to do better not just in policy, but in practice.

If this resonates and you’re navigating your career growth or return to work and figuring out your next steps after motherhood, I'd love to hear about your experience. This is also the kind of work I support women with through coaching. Feel free to reach out if a conversation would help.

Email: connect@coachsanjuktamitra.com