By: Michelle Keefe
The corporate world is grappling with the future of work, and a troubling trend is emerging: the push for mandatory return-to-office policies. Amazon, among others, recently mandated that employees return to the office at least three days a week, reversing much of the progress made in workplace flexibility during the pandemic. While the company frames this as a way to foster better collaboration and innovation, the burden falls disproportionately on working parents—especially mothers.
These policies not only challenge mothers but all caregivers and anyone who has embraced a more balanced, flexible lifestyle. For many, finding reliable childcare solutions has become essential in managing these new demands
The Shift to Flexibility: A Lifeline for Mothers
When COVID-19 forced businesses to transition to remote work, many working mothers experienced a lifeline. According to LeanIn.Org and McKinsey’s 2024 Women in the Workplace report, women, especially mothers, were 1.5 times more likely than men to spend an additional three or more hours per day on household responsibilities during the pandemic. Remote work offered the flexibility that mothers needed to juggle both their professional and personal responsibilities, preventing burnout while still contributing to their careers.
Traditional office life has long been at odds with the “second shift” that many mothers take on—managing caregiving, emotional labor, and household tasks on top of paid employment. Remote work provided a reprieve, removing the commute, allowing for better time management, and hopefully distributing domestic responsibilities more equitably throughout a family.
Amazon’s Mandate: A Step Backward
Amazon’s return-to-office mandate has caused significant backlash. In Joe Procopio’s Inc. article, he argues that Amazon’s decision represents a “huge mistake,” particularly in its failure to account for the diversity of employee needs, including those of mothers. Procopio emphasizes that in today’s digital age, collaboration does not need to be tied to physical office space. Tools like Slack, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams have proven more than sufficient for effective teamwork. The push to return to physical offices, he argues, is regressive and ignores the increased productivity many have achieved while working from home.
Mothers, particularly those with young children or caregiving responsibilities, are disproportionately affected by the logistics of office returns. For them, navigating child care, managing school schedules, and tackling the mental load of running a household is already challenging. Adding commuting time and office-based expectations worsens the situation.
The Financial Burden of Childcare and Commuting
A return to the office often necessitates restructuring childcare arrangements, which can be financially burdensome. According to Care.com, the average annual cost of daycare in the U.S. exceeds $10,000. Many mothers struggle with finding daycare that aligns with work hours, especially when factoring in commuting times. These logistical and financial pressures make a return to the office difficult, if not impossible, for many families, particularly single mothers or those without strong support networks.
Exploring personalized nanny solutions can help alleviate some of these challenges by providing flexible, in-home childcare options.
Commutes, too, are a significant issue. In a FlexJobs survey, 84% of workers said remote work made them better equipped to handle family responsibilities. For working mothers, a round-trip commute—which can often take anywhere from one to three hours—is precious time that could be better spent with their families or managing household tasks.
It’s Not Just Mothers: Everyone Is Affected
While working mothers are disproportionately impacted by RTO policies, the issue extends far beyond them. All parents, caregivers, and anyone with significant responsibilities outside of work will feel the strain of mandatory office time. This includes fathers managing childcare duties, workers caring for aging parents, employees with disabilities, those with long commutes who cannot afford sky high housing costs, and anyone who has adapted their lifestyle to include an enhanced work-life balance. In an increasingly “always on” world, where people are expected to be accessible 24/7, the boundaries between work and life have blurred significantly.
Remote work offered a chance to restore that balance. Employees who once spent long hours commuting or extended periods in the office could now integrate their professional lives more harmoniously with their personal lives. This flexibility empowered workers, allowing them to excel professionally while also attending to the demands of caregiving, personal health, and well-being.
Mental Health and Well-being at Risk
The pandemic exposed the importance of mental health, particularly for working parents who faced unprecedented stress in balancing work, homeschooling, and caregiving. Returning to the office without adequate flexibility will only exacerbate these challenges for mothers, caregivers, and workers alike.
A report from the American Psychological Association found that nearly half of working mothers reported increased stress and anxiety during the pandemic. For these women, the pressure to meet office demands while balancing their family’s needs can lead to burnout, job dissatisfaction, and even career downshifting or resignation. LeanIn.Org and McKinsey’s 2024 Women in the Workplace report revealed that mothers are more likely than fathers to experience burnout, with 41% of mothers in senior roles considering scaling back their careers or leaving the workforce altogether. The Surgeon General recently issued a warning highlighting the stress parents are facing. According to the advisory titled Parents Under Pressure, two-fifths of parents report feeling so stressed on most days that they struggle to function. Approximately half of these parents describe their stress as “completely overwhelming.”
All caregivers, whether for children, aging parents, or even pets, experience these same tensions between work and life. Forcing employees to choose between their caregiving responsibilities and office-based work does not just harm their mental health—it jeopardizes long-term career growth and job satisfaction.
The Talent Drain
When companies like Amazon enforce rigid return-to-office policies, they risk losing talented mothers and women in leadership roles. The National Women’s Law Center reported that, as of 2022, there were still 1.1 million fewer women in the workforce than before the pandemic, a lingering impact of the “She-cession” that disproportionately affected women, particularly mothers. Forcing mothers to choose between their families and their careers further exacerbates this trend.
But it’s not only mothers who may leave. Any employee seeking flexibility may feel disenfranchised by these policies, and this can lead to increased turnover, especially among high-performing workers. Employers who insist on mandatory RTO may find themselves grappling with the high cost of losing top talent. A Catalyst study found that employees with access to flexible work arrangements are more engaged and loyal to their organizations, which underscores the strategic advantage of embracing hybrid or remote work options.
The Path Forward
If companies like Amazon are serious about diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), they need to rethink mandatory return-to-office policies. For working mothers, flexibility is not a perk—it’s a necessity. Offering hybrid or fully remote options allows mothers, caregivers, and all employees to contribute meaningfully at work while also managing their personal lives.
The Harvard Business Review highlights that flexible work policies can lead to increased productivity, better employee satisfaction, and reduced turnover. Additionally, companies that embrace flexible work arrangements are more likely to attract and retain top talent, especially among working mothers who seek careers that support a healthy work-life balance.
Flexibility is a Necessity, Not a Perk
Mandatory return-to-office policies like Amazon’s mandate are not just a setback for working mothers—they are a setback for gender equality and diversity in the workplace. Flexibility must be prioritized if companies hope to foster an inclusive, diverse, and productive workforce. Research shows that hybrid and remote work options boost productivity, improve employee well-being, and attract top talent, particularly among working mothers.
Forcing employees back into the office without considering their personal needs is short-sighted. Companies that continue down this path risk losing talent, credibility, and their competitive edge. The future of work must be inclusive, and that future includes mothers, caregivers, and anyone with a life outside of work. Flexibility should be a non-negotiable part of any company’s work policy, not just for mothers, but for all employees who need better work-life balance.
