How to Support a Spouse Who’s Returning to Work: 4 Things to Remember
It's a major transition. This is what to keep in mind.
Working parents have had a tough 18 months thanks to the pandemic’s upheaval. Teleworking while keeping kids on-task with online classes proved impossible for some. When schools didn’t reopen last September, 865,000 women dropped out of the workforce in a single month, as did 216,000 men.
The Delta variant has kept the workforce in a state of upheaval, even as schools reopened. Still, women’s unemployment rate ticked down from 5% in July to 4.8% in August, when kids started returning to school in person. Overall, the economy added 235,000 jobs in August, with more robust growth expected later this fall.
As the economy slowly adds more jobs, families will be hit with another transition: Primary caregivers returning to the office. Whether it’s you or your spouse returning, experts stress that the best way to make it through another period of upheaval is advance planning and keeping lines of communication open throughout the transition.
How the Pandemic Changed the Picture
but especially hurt mothersKathryn Edwards1. Expect Mixed EmotionsKimberly Panganiban, Lisa Sturm2. Make Time For Regular Check Inscommunication3. Touch Base About Household Laborregular discussions about household chores
4. Make Good Use of Your Leave
