You Should Hire a “Momager.” No, not a stage mom. Not Kris Jenner hovering in the wings. I’m talking about something way more powerful in the workplace: a mom who manages. Because moms make better managers.
I want to talk about something that doesn’t get nearly enough airtime in corporate conversations: the very real, very frustrating gap between how working moms are perceived and what they actually bring to the table.
There’s a common corporate misconception that moms aren’t going to be reliable employees or good managers. And I’m going to call that out for exactly what it is: not true.
The Fatherhood Bonus vs. The Motherhood Penalty
Here’s something worth knowing statistically, when a man becomes a parent, he’s more likely to be seen as empathetic and well-rounded, and more likely to get promoted and earn more than his childless male counterparts. That’s the fatherhood bonus. There are some incredible dads out there, and that’s worth celebrating.
But the exact opposite tends to happen for moms. The motherhood penalty is real: women in the workforce who are mothers often make less money and get overlooked for opportunities they’d be absolutely fantastic at. That’s the part we need to change.
Everybody should be considered on the basis of their skills and what they bring to the table. So, let’s talk about what moms are actually bringing.
Moms Know How to Prioritize (Because They Have To)
Think about the last time you walked into work and only had one thing on your plate. One project. One meeting. One thing that needs your time and attention. Yeah, that’s not how most jobs work. You need people who can look at everything happening internally, externally, with clients, across teams, and figure out where to put their energy and their focus.
Moms do that before 8 a.m.
You’ve probably seen the meme: “Hey parents, there are three more weeks of school! Here are 97 events your children need to attend.” Moms understand what it feels like to manage a million moving pieces at once, shift priorities on the fly, and still get everyone where they need to be. That skill doesn’t disappear when she walks into the office.
Moms Lead with Empathy, and Still Get Things Done
Empathy at work is a big topic right now, especially among younger generations in the workforce. Moms have been practicing it for years.
That doesn’t mean saying yes to everything. (Ask my kids, they will have no problem telling you mommy says no sometimes.) But it does mean being able to hear someone when they’re frustrated, help them reframe their perspective, and move forward. Because you can’t just let the feelings sit there. You’ve got places to be.
My go-to line at home? “Do you want to taco about it?” Yes, because I love puns. But also, because it breaks the tension, gets a little giggle out of them, and creates space to actually talk through the problem. Moms are solution-oriented by necessity. We don’t just sit in the hard feelings; we help find the path forward.
Moms Understand What Motivates People (It’s Not One-Size-Fits-All)
If you have more than one kid, you probably figured out really fast that what works for one doesn’t necessarily work for the other. The same thing happens on a work team. A good manager knows how to read the room, communicate differently with different people, and find what gets each person moving.
If you can get a toddler to eat broccoli, you can get a grown adult to do their job.
Moms are also really, really good at helping people follow through on their commitments. You know the kiddo who comes to you and says they’re not going to baseball today, not going to school, not doing it? You walk them through it. You remind them of what comes after. You hold the line with love. That’s leadership.
A Word About “She Won’t Stay Late”
True, I’m probably not staying until 7 p.m. every night. But here’s what’s also true: when I’m there, I am focused. I am efficient. I am not wasting time, because I know exactly what’s waiting for me when I leave. Moms bring urgency and intentionality to their work hours that is genuinely hard to replicate.
And isn’t that what you actually want? Someone who is present, productive, and motivated to do their best work so they can go home and be fully present there too? It’s what your team wants. They know that moms make better managers.
The Challenge This Week
If you’re a mom reading this: give yourself the credit you deserve. The things you’re doing every day at home: prioritizing, empathizing, motivating, rolling with the punches. Those are transferable skills. Real ones. And if you’re not being seen for them at work, that’s worth paying attention to.
If you’re a hiring manager or a boss, take another look at the moms on your team and in your candidate pool. If you need someone who can prioritize under pressure, lead with empathy, and communicate in a way that actually moves people, she can probably do all three before her first cup of coffee goes cold.
Stop overlooking the momager. She’s exactly what your team needs.
