Over Half of Employers View Motherhood as an Asset in Recruitment, with Many Hiring Women Returning from Career Breaks, Shows Progres Group Study.
More than half of employers (64%) consider motherhood an advantage in recruitment processes, and 52% have hired women returning after a long break due to childcare, according to a study by the Progres Group. Motherhood is increasingly seen not as a barrier to professional development but as an added value. The women themselves do not expect special treatment—just basic support. Forty percent of women who returned to work after maternity leave say that onboarding organized by their employer helped them successfully reintegrate into their professional duties.
Over 90% of mothers express a desire to return to work after childbirth, but nearly half do not manage to do so (according to the “Parent in the City” Foundation). Forty percent of women returning from maternity leave indicate that onboarding eased their transition back into work. In 2024, nearly 8 million women were professionally active in Poland, but 105,700 did not return to work after having a child (GUS—Central Statistical Office). The Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) reports that in the first quarter of 2025, 268,500 people received maternity benefits, totaling 18.17 million days of paid benefits.
Sixty-four percent of surveyed employers see motherhood as an asset, and 52% have employed women returning after longer childcare breaks. Seventy percent of employers believe mothers are highly motivated for professional growth, and 80% recognize their well-developed soft skills. More companies are introducing specific measures to support mothers, such as flexible working hours, remote work, part-time employment, training programs, psychological support, and additional benefits like childcare subsidies, baby packages, parental leave, and family events.
These changes are especially important in demographic terms—despite a decline in birth rates, over 250,000 children were born in Poland in 2024 alone, making mothers a significant social and professional group.
Globally, awareness of supporting parents returning to the labor market is growing, reflected in parental leave policies. By 2024, 189 countries have introduced statutory maternity leave with an average duration of 102 days, and 115 countries offer paternity leave, though with a median of just 7 days. At the same time, access to and the cost of childcare remain major challenges limiting mothers’ employment opportunities. For example, in Canada and Germany, long waiting lists for nurseries and kindergartens delay parents’ return to work after parental leave, showing that even developed economies still need to improve family support infrastructure.
“Real support for mothers in the labor market must start with eliminating stereotypes that still influence perceptions of women raising children,” emphasizes Magda Dąbrowska, Vice President of Progres Group. “It is also crucial to increase the availability and flexibility of childcare services and promote equal sharing of parental duties between mothers and fathers. At the same time, we must help employers create friendly work environments that facilitate balancing professional and family life. The state and its institutions must play a vital role by providing proper support and legal frameworks,” adds Dąbrowska.
The National Labour Inspectorate (PIP) announced plans to focus in 2025 on protecting the rights of working parents, especially mothers. Labor Code provisions grant special legal protection to those raising children and offer solutions enabling the reconciliation of parental and professional responsibilities. PIP plans around 200 inspections aimed at assessing compliance with these regulations and identifying areas needing more attention. Changes introduced on April 26, 2023—including extended parental leave, a non-transferable portion for each parent, the right to flexible work arrangements, and new rules on care leave and remote work—are especially important. Thanks to the EU work-life balance directive, Polish law is increasingly adapting to modern families’ needs, with PIP committed to active oversight of practical application.
The Progres Group’s “Labor Market 360” study presents perspectives from both employees and employers. It involved 450 employers from across Poland, representing various industries and sectors—from manufacturing and trade to logistics, services, IT, and administration. Respondents were HR directors, personnel managers, and company owners responsible for recruitment and human resources decisions.