Baylor University Study Finds Flexible Work Schedules Are the Key to Retaining Working Mothers

A study by researchers at Baylor University in Texas finds that women who return to work after giving birth are more likely to stay employed if they are allowed flexibility in their work schedules. Lead author Dawn S. Carlson, who holds the H.R. Gibson Chair of Organizational Development at the Hankamer School of Business at Baylor, states that “when working moms are better able to control their work environment and adapt, work-related stress is less likely to become a family issue.”

The study, published by the Journal of Applied Psychology, found that 60 percent of mothers with young children were in the work force. But the retention rate for these mothers of young children is low. The authors of the study recommend that employers train new mothers in a multitude of tasks so that they can maintain their productivity while adjusting their work schedules to meet family needs.

Dr. Carlson holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Baylor University. She earned a Ph.D. at Florida State University.