One in five women would be afraid to tell their boss that they’re pregnant – US study

Would you feel comfortable telling your employer that you're having a baby?

It's usually pretty happy news but a new study suggests that many mums-to-be dread having to share it with their employer. One in five women said that they would be scared to tell their boss that they're pregnant. The research, conducted among working people in the US, showed that 21 per cent of female respondents would have this concern, up from just 12 per cent five years ago. Of the mums surveyed, 78 per cent felt that it's harder for mums climb the ladder in work. Looking at the research, it's easy to see why. Incredibly, 41 per cent of working people believe that mums are less dedicated to their jobs than others while 38 per cent say that mums' need for flexibility in work is to be looked down upon. This contrasts with how dads are perceived in work. Three quarters of the survey's respondents think that working fathers are more dedicated to their jobs than working mothers. Frustratingly, many people seem to admire the traits that mums have. The vast majority (85 per cent) say that being a mother helps a woman prepare for the challenges as a leader in work. Half believe that working mums are calmer in emergencies, 65 per cent say mums are better listeners and 44 per cent think they're better team players. You can read the full report here.