Mothers are working longer hours than a decade ago and are increasingly
becoming disaffected with the length of time they spend at work.
Of 1,100 working mothers surveyed, under a third were satisfied with their
working hours, compared to 51 per cent in 1992.
Mothers with children between the ages of 12 and 15 now work five hours a
week more than a decade ago.
On average mothers work two and half hours a week more than women who don’t
have children.
The Economic and Social Research Council-funded report shows that the need
for money is the main reason for the increase.
Time worked is also dependent on access to IT, with IT-using women (which
represented 64 per cent) working 3.4 hours more per week than non-users.
Michael White, co-director of the study said, "At present, we have at
best half of the ingredients for women with children to develop a satisfactory
working life.
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"The other half must include shorter hours for male partners, so they
can do more to help in the home, and greater equality in pay so that women do
not need to work as many hours to balance the household budget."
