Mother’s Day offers a meaningful opportunity to reflect not only on the invaluable role of mothers in our personal lives, but also on the realities they face in the workplace. For many women, motherhood brings joy and fulfilment but it can also introduce structural challenges in professional environments within a society where caregiving is still disproportionately seen as “women’s work.” This imbalance often gives rise to what is widely known as the motherhood penalty: the systemic disadvantages women in some organisations experience in pay, progression, and perceived commitment once they become mothers.
As Director responsible for Human Resources within the EMCS Group , and within a workforce where the majority of employees happen to be women, this is not an abstract concept, it is a lived reality that has demanded much thought over the years…which thought, I am happy to say, has resulted in practical changes with significant benefits for our female workers, their families and the organisation itself. For some of our employees this was a welcome First. As one of my colleagues, Ana Gezer (Advisory) expressed “This is the first workplace where a working woman is truly recognized as a professional and as a mother”.
This Mother’s Day we wanted to share our positive results with the community at large in the hope that other employers also recognise are similarly encouraged to reap huge rewards by making small adjustments.
The Reality of Juggling and Balancing Two Full-Time Roles
Working mothers often navigate two demanding roles simultaneously: that of a dedicated professional and that of a primary caregiver. Societal expectations frequently place the load of childcare, school coordination, and family wellbeing on women, regardless of their employment status. Without adequate workplace support, this dual responsibility can lead to stress, burnout, and difficult trade-offs between career progression and family life.
Nicola Paulsen (HR Outsoucing) has high praise for the support she receives which enables her to balance her two roles: Flexi‑time, remote work, summer concessions and supportive family‑friendly leave—have a genuinely positive impact on work‑life balance, making it easier to perform at my best while spending meaningful time with my family.”
Addressing imbalance is not simply a matter of fairness, it is a strategic necessity for organisations such as ours focused as we are, on nurturing all talent and retaining it for the long-term.
The Case for Family-Friendly Workplaces
Family-friendly measures and flexible work arrangements are no longer “nice-to-have” benefits. They are essential tools for building resilient, inclusive, and high-performing organisations and, crucially, increase much needed resources.
Tapping into the stay-at-home-mum talent pool is one way of doing it. Kim Mitrovic (Corporate) is one such mum who transitioned into work outside the home, initially and perhaps somewhat hesitantly, on part-time basis gradually managing also to switch to full-time employment. “Returning to work after years as a stay-at-home mum was a challenging transition, but EMCS’s flexibility — including flexitime and time-off in-lieu — made it manageable. It’s allowed me to grow professionally while still being present for my children when they need me most.”
Another often-overlooked talent pool is self-employed women who may be seeking the stability or collaborative opportunities of employment, and who bring with them entrepreneurial experience, adaptability, and a strong sense of initiative that can greatly benefit organisations. Ana is a case in point, “After a long period of being self‑employed and running my own business, I was genuinely stressed that joining EMCS would mean losing flexibility and that my family life might suffer. However, this was not the case at all!”
As Kim and Ana attest, for Employees, such measures:
- Enable better work-life balance, reducing stress and improving overall wellbeing.
- Support continued career progression without sacrificing family responsibilities.
- Increase engagement, loyalty, and job satisfaction.
- Provide practical solutions during critical life stages, such as early motherhood or school transitions.
For Employers, the benefits are equally compelling:
- Improved Recruitment outcomes
- Higher retention rates, particularly among experienced female talent
- Reduced absenteeism and burnout
- Increased productivity and motivation
- A stronger employer brand that attracts diverse and skilled candidates
For Society as a whole, the impact extends even further:
- Greater gender equality in the workforce
- Higher labour market participation among women
- Stronger family units and improved child wellbeing
- Long-term economic growth driven by inclusive employment practices.
At EMCS, we recognise that supporting working mothers and working parents more broadly is fundamental to both our culture and our success. Our employee-centric measures are designed to provide flexibility, understanding, and practical support across different life stages:
- Flexible working hours - allowing employees to start their day before/after standard company working hours. For Mandy Viacava (Client Accounting) this has been a gamechanger, “Adjustable working hours have made a real difference in managing daily routines and being more present for my family. Such initiatives show a genuine understanding of the challenges working parents face …”
- Flexi-break options – no fixed break-times plus the possibility to shorten the standard one-hour break. Denise Seychell (HR) feels this “flexibility around break times and flexi hour has also been especially helpful to still be able to enjoy Me-time through my hobbies such as fitness training”.
- Teleworking - two to three times per week once training is complete. Krystle Ellul (Academy), now in her eighth year at EMCS and living at a distance from the office, explains how “the option to telework a few times a week has made a significant difference. It allows me to better structure my day and reduces commuting time”.
- Part-time and reduced hours arrangements - supporting different personal needs. At EMCS, we have often managed to permit employees to switch from full-time to reduced hours or vice versa as life circumstances change, this often translates into added resources when the organisation most needs them. Another Win-win for all!
- Time off in lieu - used for short absences instead of wasting precious vacation leave.
- Children’s sick leave - acknowledging the realities of parenting, we choose to allow employees to use some of their sick-leave when offspring are unwell. Krystle acknowledges being able to ”prioritise my child’s wellbeing without added stress or compromise to my work responsibilities, makes a huge difference”.
- Special leave for medical appointments at Mater Dei again, helping preserve vacation days.
- Summer half days twice weekly when children are off school. Denise added she particularly appreciates this summer concession, “which provides additional time with my teenagers. This initiative makes a real difference in helping me stay connected with family during the summer months”.
- Study leave and support for professional development - ensuring career growth continues alongside family life.
- Family-oriented initiatives - including annual family events and team-building activities.
Mandy opined, “These initiatives show a genuine understanding of the challenges working parents face and contribute to a more supportive and positive work environment.”
A Shared Responsibility: The Role of All Stakeholders
At EMCS we are committed to continue recognising Professionals as Parents too. However, one must appreciate that while organisations have a critical role to play, meaningful and lasting change requires a collective effort. Employers, employees, and policymakers must work together to create a framework where work-life balance is not an exception, but the norm.
In Malta, important strides have been made in recent years. Improved employment legislation has introduced progressive measures that support families more effectively. The Maternity/Adoption LeaveTrust, for example, requires employers to contribute for all employees including men helping to reduce unconscious bias in recruitment and ensuring that the cost of mothering is shared more equitably across the workforce.
Additionally, there has been a notable expansion in family-friendly leave provisions, including strengthened parental leave frameworks; special leave types targeting families such as IVF leave, adoption leave and more recently parental bereavement leave, to mention but a few initiatives.
These developments signal a growing recognition that diverse family realities require flexible and compassionate policy responses.
Looking ahead, the national vision outlined in Malta Vision 2050 places a strong emphasis on improving quality of life. Central to this ambition is the need to create a society where individuals can thrive both professionally and personally without having to choose between the two.
Why This Matters Now More Than Ever
Malta currently faces one of the lowest birth rates in the European Union. This is not merely a demographic statistic it is a reflection of broader societal pressures, including the difficulty of balancing careers with family life. When individuals feel that having children may come at the expense of their professional future or financial stability, difficult decisions follow.
This is precisely why all stakeholders must pull the same rope:
- Employers must continue to innovate and lead by example.
- Governments must strengthen and enforce supportive policies.
- Society must challenge outdated norms around caregiving roles.
A Mother’s Day Wish
This Mother’s Day…and the next one…with all the days in between and beyond, let us truly recognise the multifaceted contributions of all working mothers. And let us also focus on improving the systems that shape their experiences!
By working together—organisations, policymakers, and communities, it IS possible to eradicate the motherhood penalty and move towards a more equitable, sustainable future.
With thanks to Kim Mitrovic, Mandy Viacava, Denise Seychell, Nicola Paulsen and Krystle Ellul for their input. We wish them and all the wonderful Super-Mums at EMCS a wonderful Mother’s Day this Sunday 8th May.
Written by Antoinette Gouder, Director HR EMCS
