#52: The Working Mom Exodus of 2025 | Part 1: RTO Mandates

 

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The Working Mom Exodus: What Happened in 2025?

212,000 women left the workforce in the first 7 months of 2025. That’s not a typo—that’s a crisis.

And here’s the kicker: White men with “care privilege” are the ones making RTO decisions that are pushing mothers out.

What if the flexibility you fought for during the pandemic is being ripped away—and taking your career with it?

In this series premiere, I’m exposing why return-to-office mandates jumped 85% in just six months. But more importantly, I’m showing you how job sharing offers a solution that actually works—even if your employer is demanding 5 days in-office.

This is the episode I wish someone had given me when I was navigating the impossible choice between my career and being present for my family. But here’s what I learned: You don’t have to choose.

Why This Series Matters

Systems are being dismantled. Progress is being rolled back. With DEI under attack, the political climate unstable, and AI infiltrating everything, we need to understand what’s really driving women out—and create our own solutions.

Because we can’t afford to wait. And with job sharing, you don’t have to. You create your own path—with a partner, not AI.

In Episode 52, you’ll DISCOVER:

  • ✔️ Why 212K women left and what it means for YOUR economic security
  • ✔️ The 7 challenges driving this exodus (we’ll tackle all of them in this series)
  • ✔️ The data employers are ignoring about RTO and retention
  • ✔️ The impossible trade-off mothers face: career progression OR family time
  • ✔️ 3 things employers can do to stop the bleeding of female talent
  • ✔️ 3 strategic moves for working mothers navigating RTO mandates
  • ✔️ Why job sharing works even with full-time in-office requirements
  • ✔️ How much 3 days of commuting vs. 5 really saves you

Here’s What Most People Don’t Know About Job Sharing

The vast majority of job sharers create their own arrangements—you don’t have to wait for permission. And over 70% of job share teams who apply are promoted together. Read that again.

Even with full-time RTO mandates, job sharing works because you get real recovery time, a built-in work bestie, and boundaries that actually hold. When your partner takes over on Wednesday, you’re not checking email from the carpool line. You’re actually off.

What Comes Next in This Series

Over the next 6 episodes (every other Tuesday through Dec 30), we’ll explore:

  • Part 2: Cultural shifts & the tradwife movement
  • Part 3: The childcare crisis & affordability
  • Part 4: Mental load & burnout
  • Part 5: The persistent motherhood penalty
  • Part 6: Inadequate support for eldercare
  • Part 7: Career transitions & relaunching after a break

Each episode digs into the problem AND the solutions—what mothers can do, what employers should do, and how job sharing addresses each challenge.

Featured Research:

Resources & Links Mentioned:

More From Me:

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Know a working mother struggling with RTO policies? A leader trying to retain diverse talent? Send this their way. You might just change their life.

SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW

If this episode was eye-opening for you, please subscribe and leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps us reach more women (and others) who need real work-life solutions.

️New episodes drop every other Tuesday through December 30! Thanks for tuning in to Jobshare Revolution podcast—we’re redefining success without burnout or tradeoffs.

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Melissa Nicholson job shared for nearly a decade and is the Founder & CEO of Work Muse. Work Muse drives the adoption of job sharing in business as a source of competitive advantage while helping individuals find work-life balance. Join the #JobshareRevolution here.

 

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