As an overachiever, I was consistently rewarded for my hard work and dedication to my 8–5 job. I worked for the ASU Foundation as a fundraiser, and I deeply believed (and still do!) in my work. I was changing lives daily through the power of philanthropy and education. Give me a goal and I’d double it. I worked hard, earned leadership opportunities, and never once felt held back in my career.
Then, eight years ago, I had my first son.
Suddenly, no amount of late nights or high performance could shield me from the shift. I had a new priority in my life. And while I didn’t want to stop leading or growing in my career, I needed a new way to define success and leadership.
That high-achieving energy was now being applied to my parenting. I wanted to do it right. And as a working mom, I was surrounded by shame and insecurity for prioritizing my career.
So, I looked up. I looked to the senior women ahead of me for hope and guidance but found the opposite instead. They shared a knowing, almost sympathetic look that told me there was no way to manage it all. That I should expect to feel behind at work, and inadequate as a mom — because that’s how these leaders were managing.
The truth is sobering: One in five women leave the workforce after having their first child — not because they lack ambition, but because the workplace was never built for them. Those who step away lose out on retirement investment, career confidence and the independence that comes from economic security.
And the women who stay? They’re often doing it alone. In fact, two-thirds of U.S. moms considered leaving the workforce in the past year because of childcare stress and costs — a number even higher among Gen Z moms (State of Motherhood Report, Motherly, 2024). Working moms are some of the most isolated people in the labor force. They can’t say in the boardroom how much they miss their kids, and they can’t show their kids the stress they bring home from work. There’s no space where both sides of them are fully seen, heard and understood.
And when we don’t have a community that “gets it,” we start to believe we’re the problem. That we just need to try harder, push through, smile more, do it all better. But the truth is — the system was never designed for women to thrive in both roles.
Why This Matters to the Business Community
Retention of working moms isn’t just a moral imperative — it’s a smart business strategy. These women are ambitious, adaptable and deeply committed. But without support, many will walk.
When they do, the cost is steep:
- Replacing an employee costs 50–200% of their annual salary — and even more for managers and leaders (Gallup, 2019; SHRM, 2024).
- On average, the cost per hire is $4,700 across roles, while executive hires average $28,000 — not including lost productivity during onboarding (SHRM, 2024).
- And childcare shortfalls alone cost U.S. businesses $23 billion every year, or about $1,640 per working parent in lost revenue and turnover-related costs (ReadyNation, 2023; CBS News, 2023).
This isn’t just about moms. It’s about organizational health, talent retention and the bottom line.
Employers have made important strides in the past decade — maternity and paternity leave, breastfeeding rooms, flexible schedules, remote work. All these matter. But, ultimately, community is the answer to the isolation and exhaustion so many mothers face.
Employers can create a community within their organization, or partner with MOMentum to ensure mothers aren’t navigating these dual roles blindly — giving them a space for resource-sharing, support and celebration of the invisible load they carry.
We envision a world where women are celebrated — not penalized — for choosing both career and family. A world where growing a career and raising kids doesn’t feel like an either/or. Because when more women rise, we all benefit from better policies, more flexible work, stronger communities and more inclusive leadership.
Chelsie Bruggeman is founder and CEO of MOMentum.
MOMentum as a Solution
After years of fumbling in working motherhood, I founded MOMentum — a professional development organization built around the realities of working motherhood. Helping women grow their careers and their families — at the same time — without sacrificing one for the other, MOMentum offers:
- A flagship nine-month Leadership Collective, focused on intensive leadership training and executive coaching.
- Workplace trainings designed for both working moms who need support and employers who want to retain top talent.
- Overnight retreats that create community and rest — a rare experience where a mom only has to care for herself.
- The Working Mom Network, a professional association to promote and celebrate working moms across Phoenix.
