Remember, those skills and talents that made you a great mother will also make you an excellent employee.
Every day thousands of former stay at home moms enter or re-enter the workforce. Some come back to the outside workforce after years of working exclusively at home. This leads many of them to think that they will not fit in or are no longer qualified to work outside the home. Fortunately for all concerned, this could not be further from the truth. The skills that make someone an excellent mother are the very skills that will make that person an excellent addition to the workplace.
There are certain things that all mothers do that translate directly to success in the workplace. These things include:
- caring for the needs of others
- managing diverse personalities
- time management
Let’s spend a little time exploring each of these three areas in detail.
1. Caring for the needs of others
In most families throughout the world, it is the mother who primarily cares for the family.It is usually the mother who makes meals, prepares everyone to leave for school and work each morning, and manages the household chores. It is such a common thing for mothers to spend time caring for the needs of others. So common is this phenomenon that articles are published every day admonishing mothers to care for themselves.
The ability to care for the needs of others directly relates to customer service. People who are used to caring for others will be able to are for customers, co-workers, and the businesses for which they work. No matter what business a person works in, there are customers. People who have a strong history of caring for the needs of others will have the skills needed to provide excellent customer service. The motherly skill of caring for others is a valuable skill in the workplace.
2. Managing diverse personalities
A mother who has had to deal with two or more children, a spouse, and in-laws is used to managing a variety of personality types. A mother who has more than one child knows that each child has a distinct and different personality. It is not easy to manage diverse personalities at one time. It is not uncommon for one child to want the television on and another to want it off and a third family member wants everyone to dance in their underwear. When these situations arise, a person gifted with managing multiple personalities is needed.
A mother who is able to take a home like this, manage it, and keep the peace will be invaluable in the workplace. Workplaces are made up of people with a variety of personalities. Often those personalities conflict with one another. A person who is able to work with diverse personalities, stay on task, and get things done is an invaluable resource. The motherly skill of managing diverse personalities is invaluable in the workplace.
3. Time management
In every family, there are calendars that must be managed. There are school schedules, sports schedules, work schedules, and religious schedules that have to be managed. This schedule management is not always easy. I will never forget the back to school night where I had to attend teacher conferences for three children. My husband was out of town for business. I had to attend back to school night for my son immediately followed by back to school night for my twin daughters who were not in the same class.
At most workplaces, there are many things that must be done. Many of these things have to be done at the same time. Other things have to be done in a short time period. Some activities cannot be done until other crucial activities have been completed. It is not uncommon for timing to be crucial so that timing mistakes can cost a business thousands of dollars. Employees must be able to manage time efficiently in order to succeed in business. The motherly skill of time management is invaluable in the workplace.
If you are a mother who is entering or returning to the workplace, hold your head up high. Do not shy away from the fact that your last job was that of a mother. Hold your head up high, the skills you gained, learned, and perfect as a mother make you a valuable employee. If you are an employer looking to add employees to your business team, don’t be hesitant to hire a mother. They have skills that make them invaluable additions to your business.
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It is wonderful to know that mothers who are entering or re-entering the workplace are a great business resource. So the question for you this wonderful day is, what skill are you looking for in an employee that a mother entering or re-entering the workforce can bring to your business?