Myth Busting: The Truth About Parents and Career Ambitions
Myth #5: Parents lose their career ambitions.
Whether or not you’ve had the life-altering experience of becoming a parent, we all know it can be a commonly held belief that having kids diminishes your career ambitions. In today’s blog post we’re going to explore myth #5, “My kids stole my ambition” and once again, the results might surprise you.
If you’ve been following along with our blog posts the past month, we have been revealing our research in proprietary talent and workplace insights, debunking or confirming myths. Ceresa's research stems from extensive data collection through surveys and tools integrated into our mentoring and leadership development programs.
By analyzing this data, which is carefully segmented by industry, age, parenting status, and gender, we derive insights that reflect the real experiences and goals of our diverse participant base. The findings are well-informed and relevant, providing actionable insights that are contrasted with broader market perspectives.
Ceresa has compelling data that contradicts the belief that “children steal parents career ambitions”. Join us as we look at the insights, evidence, and the implications for both parents and employers.
“Can I be a parent and still have career ambitions?”
Insight: Parenthood Enhances, Not Diminishes, Ambition
Contrary to the popular narrative that parenthood steals ambition, Ceresa’s research reveals that parents often show higher levels of ambition compared to their non-parent counterparts. The data indicates that parents not only maintain their career aspirations but also have a clear vision and feel empowered to achieve their goals.
Evidence: Parents have Ambition and Vision
Parents participating in Ceresa’s leadership development programs consistently score higher on several key metrics related to career aspirations:
Senior Leadership Aspirations: Parents are 10% more likely than non-parents to aspire to senior leadership roles.
Clear Vision and Empowerment: Parents report having a clearer vision for their careers and feel more empowered and confident in achieving their professional goals.
Employer Support: Parents also feel slightly more supported by their employers in their career ambitions.
This evidence contradicts the stereotype that parenthood results in a reduction of career-focused aspirations. Instead, it suggests that becoming a parent can actually enhance one's drive and clarity regarding professional goals.
Focus Areas: Holistic Approach to Career Development
While the top goals for both parents and non-parents remain professional development and career advancement, there are nuanced differences in their focus areas:
Professional Development and Career: Both groups prioritize these areas in their goals, but parents show a slightly lower focus on professional development (36% vs. 42%) and career (28% vs. 32%) compared to non-parents.
Balance and Purpose: Parents place a relatively higher emphasis on achieving balance, understanding their purpose, and identifying their strengths. This indicates a holistic approach to personal and professional growth.
Satisfaction Levels
Overall satisfaction levels between parents and non-parents are similar, with some notable differences. Parents report higher satisfaction in areas related to family and significant others, scoring 7.7 compared to non-parents' 6.9. Conversely, non-parents exhibit higher satisfaction with their friends and hobbies, scoring 6.7 versus 6.2 for parents. These variations highlight how different life stages, different life choices, and responsibilities impact individual satisfaction levels across various aspects of life.
Feedback and Focus Areas
The feedback parents receive is also slightly different from that of non-parents:
Leadership and Management Skills: Parents score marginally higher in these areas.
Building Positive Culture and Openness: Parents are also perceived to be slightly better at fostering a positive work culture and being open to feedback.
Career and Leadership Skills: Feedback providers suggest that parents focus more on career (17% vs. 11%), while non-parents are encouraged to develop leadership skills (34% vs. 22%).
Implications for Employers and Employees
It is important for employers to continue providing feedback and guidance to parents regarding their professional endeavors. However, recognizing the unique needs of parents can enhance their productivity and satisfaction. How can employers ensure parents continue to get full career guidance and support, rather than assuming they want to pull back?
Employers should:
Encourage Balance: Offer resources and support to help parents achieve a better work-life balance.
Promote Purpose: Help parents connect their work with their broader life purpose.
Address Gender Disparities: Pay particular attention to the differences in career focus and confidence levels between men and women, offering targeted support where needed.
How Does Gender Affect Career Focus?
Ceresa's research also highlights significant gender differences within the workforce. Women, in particular, show less focus on career advancement in their goals compared to men. This lower emphasis on career progression is accompanied by a noticeable disparity in career aspirations and confidence levels.
Women report having lower career aspirations and less confidence in achieving their professional goals than their male counterparts.
These findings suggest that gender-specific barriers and societal expectations might influence women's professional ambitions and self-perception, potentially hindering their career advancement.
In an article by Amy Diehl and Leanne M. Dzubinski for the Harvard Business Review, they say, “Women’s experiences as parents in the workplace are completely different from men’s. Men get a “fatherhood wage premium,” such that fathers earn more than everyone else, including men without children. However, mothers encounter a “motherhood penalty” in wages and advancement opportunities. Pregnant women experience discrimination to the point that they are often afraid to let their employers know they are expecting.
One might think that women without children, who make up almost half of U.S. women aged 15 to 50, have workplace advantages on a par with their male counterparts. But they don’t. Among women with similar levels of education, non-mothers have the same gender wage gap as mothers. Women don’t have to be mothers or even want children to be affected by a “maternal wall.” Simply being a woman means being viewed as a potential mother — or someone who should be a mother — which is enough to create such a wall at work.”
Addressing these gender differences is vital for creating a more inclusive and supportive workplace that fosters equal opportunities for all employees. Need to hire a company to assist with equity, the broken rung or professional development? At Ceresa, this is our passion, reach out for more information!
How Can I Balance Career Ambition and Parenting?
Ceresa Mentor, Christina Mautz, chief marketing officer, shares her personal journey of balancing parenting alongside a thriving career:
“Throughout our careers, we face numerous choices that shape both our professional and personal lives. Decisions range from staying late at the office to meet deadlines or leaving early to attend a child's baseball game or music concert. These everyday choices contribute to how we balance our roles as professionals and parents.
Larger career decisions often stem from deeply personal motivations to ensure we fulfill our roles as both parents and professionals. For some, like myself, this meant making significant sacrifices to prioritize our children's needs while maintaining career ambitions. In my family's case, my husband chose to stay home with our kids, providing the flexibility needed for me to pursue my career goals. This arrangement allowed us to parent in the way we wanted and ensured that I could continue to grow professionally.
However, not everyone has the same options, and it’s essential to find what works best for your unique situation. Whether you are a parent or a caregiver in another capacity, the key is to strike a balance that aligns with your personal and professional aspirations. Each decision, big or small, plays a critical role in achieving this balance and ensuring you can be both the professional and the caregiver you strive to be.”
Conclusion: Embracing Parents in the Workforce
The myth that parenthood diminishes career ambition is just that—a myth. Ceresa’s data underscores that parents often maintain, if not enhance, their professional ambitions and feel supported in achieving them. Employers must recognize and support the unique needs of parents, fostering an environment where balance, purpose, and professional growth coexist.
Incorporating these insights can lead to a more inclusive and supportive workplace, where all employees, regardless of their parenting status, can thrive and achieve their career aspirations. By debunking the myth that "My kids stole my ambition," we pave the way for a more nuanced understanding of the interplay between parenthood and professional growth.
Are you a parent? We want to hear about your experience in the comments!
About Ceresa
Ceresa is a high-impact, tech-based solution for world-class mentoring and leadership development at scale. Grounded in research and inclusive by design, Ceresa supports leading companies that are committed to supporting earlier career talent and fixing the broken rung, including Walmart, Amazon, and Blackstone. Our programs are designed to provide comprehensive support across various demographics, including age, gender, and industry, helping organizations unlock the full potential of their workforce.