As Mother’s Day draws near, a revealing new report from career services firm LiveCareer shines a light on an inconvenient truth in today’s workforce: for many women, becoming a mother still means stepping off the career ladder – or, at the very least, climbing with added weights.

The Motherhood on Mute 2025 survey, which polled nearly 1,000 working mothers, shows how deeply entrenched biases continue to stifle opportunity, hinder advancement, and force difficult trade-offs between family and career.

Keeping motherhood under wraps

Despite the rise of flexible work policies and increased talk around diversity, equity and inclusion, motherhood remains a taboo subject in many workplaces. A staggering 87% of working mums say they’ve deliberately avoided mentioning their children at work, fearing such disclosures could harm their career progression.

This silence isn't just self-imposed – it reflects a workplace culture that views parenting duties as a distraction from professional responsibilities.

The report found that 93% of working mums had faced criticism for taking time off for child-related matters, such as a school play or an unexpected emergency.

The judgement came from all directions: 60% said it came from their employer, 24% from colleagues, and 9% from both.

Even maintaining a hard stop at the end of the day for school pick-ups triggered pushback, with 96% saying they had experienced pressure or resentment from co-workers or bosses.

Read: The motherhood penalty? Career crossroads for women

Climbing a steeper ladder 

The penalties for parenthood don’t stop at social judgement. Many women are paying a professional price for taking maternity leave: 86% believe it hurt their chances of advancement or cost them promotions.

More than 7 in 10 say they’ve been seen as less committed or ambitious because they’re mothers, while 18% say such bias is baked into workplace culture.

One of the most telling signs of inequality is how a full 90% of working mums feel they must constantly go the extra mile to prove their dedication, far more than is expected of fathers.

In a workplace where the goalposts shift with every diaper change, proving one’s worth becomes an exhausting and often invisible marathon.

Networking and development opportunities – those crucial stepping stones to leadership – are often out of reach as well. Some 95% of mothers reported being excluded from team events, business trips, or informal networking sessions because of their parenting responsibilities. For 65%, this exclusion happens regularly; for 30%, it’s an occasional but noticeable trend.

Childcare: The career dealbreaker

Beyond bias and burnout lies another immovable obstacle: the soaring cost of childcare. For many families, it’s not just a budgeting issue – it’s a career-altering dilemma.

Nearly half of all working mums (49%) are spending more than 20% of their salaries on childcare, with 1 in 10 shelling out over 30%.

And while the majority lean on family or friends (46%) or enrol their children in daycare or afterschool programmes (32%), only a small fraction can afford nannies or in-home providers (9%). Some mothers attempt to juggle both worlds – 5% try to work remotely while simultaneously caring for their children.

The financial toll is pushing many to the edge: 55% have scaled back hours or changed jobs to make ends meet, while 36% have left the workforce entirely due to childcare costs. Just 9% say childcare expenses haven’t influenced their career decisions – meaning for the vast majority, the cost of care is shaping their professional path.

A rethink in workplace culture is overdue

So, what do working mothers say they need? At the top of the wish list is greater flexibility – 74% called for more adaptable work schedules and remote options. Others pointed to systemic reforms: 60% support subsidised childcare; 55% want a shift in culture to counteract mum bias; and 54% argue for stronger parental leave policies that don’t leave women paying a long-term price for short-term absence.

The message from LiveCareer’s findings is crystal clear: while many companies have made gestures toward inclusivity, the lived experience of working mothers tells a different story. The system, as it stands, rewards presenteeism over performance and penalises parenting as a professional liability.

Toni Frana, career expert at LiveCareer, summed it up plainly:

Working mums are being judged not just on how well they do their jobs – but simply for being mothers. This system doesn’t work.

“We need to stop penalising mothers for having families and start creating workplaces that actually support them – with flexibility, fairness, and real opportunity.”

Read: Southeast Asian mothers struggle to balance work and motherhood

An untapped talent pool at risk

The business case for change isn’t just about doing the right thing; it’s also about keeping top talent. Organisations that continue to undervalue and sideline working mothers risk losing experienced, motivated, and resilient professionals.

When 94% of working mums say they would choose a different, more family-friendly career if given the chance, it’s a clear sign the current environment is unsustainable.

To put it bluntly, businesses are at risk of bleeding talent from a silent exodus of working mothers – women who are forced to choose between a pay cheque and parenting.

And as any strategist will tell you, losing talent at scale is a cost no company can afford.

If leaders want to close the gender gap, improve retention, and foster innovation, they must start by treating motherhood not as a red flag, but as a reality – one that deserves policies, empathy, and most importantly, action.