Mothers in Design by Nathalie Crease

Mothers in Design: Why are there not more mothers in design? What are the obstacles that mothers face, and how can we change that as an industry? An article by Nathalie Crease, Head of Marketing at Fiasco Design.

Having entered the design industry in my thirties after becoming a mother myself, it always struck me as odd that I came across so few fellow mums through work.

I often wondered where they had all gone. At Falmouth University I knew plenty of incredibly talented, ambitious women, determined to forge a career in this industry. Had they all suddenly downed tools upon becoming parents? Were they now confined to their homes, juggling screaming infants and drowning in caffeine, lost to the void of daytime TV? I refuse to believe that.

The reality is that there are many of us out here; juggling the impossibilities of modern parenting with the demands of turning up to a creative career day-in-day-out… But, let’s be real — there should be more of us.

Here, we’ll explore some of the barriers preventing mothers from staying in the creative industry, and explore how we can work towards change for the next generation of women.

An Inclusivity Problem

It’s well documented that the design industry has an inclusivity problem: The Design Council’s 2022 Design Economy report revealed that the industry is disproportionately male, with only 23% of designers identifying as female. The figures have shifted a mere 1% since 2015.

Combined with a huge disparity in senior positions held by men and women, the early 30s seems to be the real crisis point when women start to disappear from the design industry in large numbers. As it happens, the average childbearing age in the Europe and the US is currently around 30. Coincidence? I think not.

So, what’s at play here? In an industry that is already heavily dominated by men, how do we change this for our children’s generation? I spoke to a cross-section of women in the design industry to get their perspective on the issue: founders, partners, creative directors, freelancers, and perhaps most proudly – mothers.

Crippling Childcare Fees

Affordable childcare is a chronic problem and here in the UK we have one of the most expensive in the world. Only Switzerland and New Zealand rank higher, according to the OECD. In the USA, childcare costs vary greatly state by state, but are also increasing at an alarming rate. In some states, costs have risen a massive 13%, year on year. Partly as a result, the US has one of the lowest percentages of women in the workforce among developed countries. Combine this with a gender pay gap issue and things aren’t looking good.

“The cost of childcare is unsustainable. That is probably the number 1 reason that people have to give up careers in the first place – the insane cost of childcare means that going back to work can sometimes even mean making a loss.” – says Dani Molyneux, Dotto.

Cat How, Founder of How&How adds: “The minute we stop to have children, then we’re faced with difficult choices: spend more time with my child, or go back to work 100%, but pay heavy fees for childcare.”

She continues: “Then there is an alternate middle ground of part-time with perhaps one or two days off a week to spend time at home, but this means that many women who chose this option might not necessarily be working at the careers for which they have been trained, or earn the sort of money they are due based on their experience. So it’s complicated.”

According to the Fawcett Society, in the UK about a quarter of a million mothers with children under 4 have left their jobs because of childcare difficulties and expenses. This doesn’t touch upon the women who have reduced their hours to negate the punitive cost of childcare.

“I absolutely love my job and always (pre-children) imagined that after 9-12 months I would go back full time. But the reality of what that meant for my son at that age made me change that decision. I decided to go back part time to give him my time as well at such a young age.” – says Alice Murray, (Associate Partner at) Pentagram.

As well as fees, there’s a desire to be around for our children. Dotto’s Dani Molyneux agrees:

“When my child was little, I worked 4 days a week while she was in nursery. But since she started school, I adapted my schedule to work around that. I work so I can get her from school, and then pick up and work after.”

In a hetronormative relationship, it often makes more financial sense for the woman to be the one to reduce her working hours for childcare duties, particularly in the first 4 years when nursery fees can be cripplingly expensive. This unequal distribution of care is seen globally; women typically undertake 75% of childcare responsibilities – with a range of from 63% (Sweden) to 93% (Ireland).

The Creative Occupation’s Lorelle Skelton says: “I went down to 3 days/15 hours a week after having my daughter, but she will be starting school in September and I intend to go back to 5 days at that time.”

The flex of flexibility

Any parent will tell you that life changes irrevocably after the birth of a child. It’s no surprise that holiday allowance and flexible working hours are the top two important benefits when considering new opportunities, according to the Major Players Salary Census 2024. Many working mums have to re-evaluate the way they work to find more of a balance, with some finding greater flexibility in freelance:

Anna Wanczyk from Studio CZYK, says: “As a self-employed freelance designer, my day-to-day life has changed a lot. I’ve moved to more of a model where I work directly with clients. That way I can control my time, control when I work on concepts, space things out. If my kid has been up for 3 hours in the night and I’ve not got a creative concept in me that day, it’s okay, I can move that to another day. It’s much more flexible.”

Lorelle Skelton, from The Creative Occupation, drew the same conclusion: “I made the decision to go freelance before I had a child in part to lay the foundations for life as a working mother. An employer almost certainly wouldn’t allow me to work in the way that I do.”

Flexibility isn’t just a ‘nice to have’. For many, it is the deciding factor on whether they take a job on offer:

“Once I went for an interview, and I asked if I could work flexible hours. They told me it wouldn’t be fair on the other employees, so I didn’t take the job.” – Sophie O’Connor, Freelance Designer

As with all working parents, it can be a squeeze to fit in both parenting and work into busy lives. This is especially true of an industry that typically rewards long hours. Many mothers find themselves logging in out of hours to pinch an extra hour or so:

“I sometimes can only really feel I’m getting proper work done in the evenings, when they’re both in bed. But then I end up working until late – which isn’t great either.” – Cat How, How&How.

Anna Wanczyk from Studio CZYK, also works post-bedtime when necessary: “Often in the busy times I log back on after the kids are in bed! It really depends on the workload.”

Whether during daytime or twilight hours, many mums find themselves grabbing any extra time available:

“I try to work super flexibly and avoid doing ‘normal work hours’ as much as possible. My aim is to do intensive bursts of work in shorter periods, giving me time for myself, my family, and my life beyond work.” – says Dani Molyneux, Dotto.

The Creative Occupation’s Lorelle Skelton agrees: “If I have a lot on I try to snatch time here and there, with support from my other half.”

But long, antisocial hours shouldn’t be the norm. Everyone – parents included – have the right to a personal life, too. Freelancer Sophie O’Conner sets her own boundaries from the offset:

“I try to always ensure I down tools by 5.30/6pm latest so that I can spend the evening with my children, having dinner and bath time, etc. I think it’s even more important nowadays to set those boundaries early on with whoever you are working with, whether it be perm or freelance.”

Playing multiple roles

Flexibility to flit between our roles as parent and creative professional can be hugely beneficial to manage busy schedules, but the responsibility of playing multiple roles simultaneously can also be mentally strenuous:

“Over time, I’ve found it does get easier to move between different roles at the drop of a hat without feeling overwhelmed. It’s still really tough sometimes though. I always try to leave time just before pick up, so that I’m not scrambling, and don’t schedule my first meeting until I’ve had time to catch my breath after drop off.” – says Lorelle Skelton, The Creative Occupation.

“My kid can be having a nap on my day off with them or on my current maternity leave, and I’ll be checking and responding to my emails. Alternatively while I’m working I’m checking the nursery app to see what my daughter is up to. I try to stay focused, especially when it’s time with my children, and leave the work alone. I have notifications on my email turned off, but it’s hard when you work for yourself.” – adds Anna Wanczyk, Studio CZYK.

During the pandemic, many of us felt our personal and professional lives blur into one within the confines of our homes. We started seeing a new side of our colleagues playing out through our screens: weary eyes, scantily dressed toddlers, snotty noses and all.

The realisation that we can fulfil both parental and professional roles simultaneously marks a significant cultural shift in our understanding of work-life balance. It challenges the traditional belief that home and work lives must remain separate. Instead, it has promoted a more holistic view of life where integrating personal and professional responsibilities is not only accepted, but also expected. People can’t really ever leave their home lives at home, and their work lives at the studio.

Thought Matter’s Partner Jessie Mcguire knows the struggle: “It’s a constant balancing act. My feet are firmly planted in two spaces – work and life. My personal and professional life is honestly just life! The truth is my children don’t care about my job and my job doesn’t care about my children. However, they both need me to be at my best. That to me is the hardest part about being a designer and a mother.”

Cat How embraces the blur between the personal and the professional: “Having my personal and professional life more blended works better for me as there is less “work” and “life”, but it does mean that at times your life can become all about work. So it’s important to get the balance right.

Jolene Delisle, founder of Working Assembly, also finds fulfilment in the incorporation of both, adding: “There are days I’ll spend extra hours in the office or travelling for a project, but then the next day I may leave for a school event. It probably means I don’t ever completely disconnect from either, but it helps me feel like I never have to compromise or feel guilty. I love both!”

Becoming ‘better’

Somewhat ironically — despite there being relatively few mothers in the industry, many women think parenthood has made them better at their jobs. Firstly, being relatively time poor creates a pressure to get straight to the crux of it, which can be super helpful in an industry that’s largely about problem solving.

“I have less time, so I have to mega-prioritise. I’m more inclined to aim for stuff that I want to do that is important to me. And less procrastination (within reason, I’m a creative after all). “ – Dani Molyneux, Dotto.

“I’m more chilled, it’s just design guys, we aren’t surgeons, no one is going to die if that website launches a day later. But also, I’m sooo much better at spinning many plates, I’m straight into problem solving mode, and I’m good at it.” – Anna Wanczyk, Studio CZYK.

“It has required me to hone my organisational skills, lean into delegating and empowering others, and communicate effectively and more efficiently.” – Jolene adds.

Additionally, there’s the realisation that you are a role model for your children and possibly for others in the industry as well. Instead of being daunting, this motivates these women and pushes them forward:

I feel like a role model now so that has changed how I make decisions and show up. And there was something about becoming a mother that made me feel invincible. Like I’m capable of anything (not all the time of course – but there is power in that feeling). – Dani Molyneux, Dotto.

“Every day I learn something new about my ThoughtMatter team and about each of my children. They show me who they are and I am here to listen, guide and honestly call them on their BS. I lead with honesty, I am guided by an abundance mindset and I build from curiosity. Being a mother continues to make me a better leader.” – Jessie Mcguire, Thought Matter.

Cat How agrees. She believes in modelling a life where you can smash both motherhood and a design career: “Showing my kids that their mum can run a business and also help out with homework and swimming classes is a good life lesson for them. I believe humans, women in particular, are capable of a lot more than we give ourselves credit for.”

Children can be endless sources of creative inspiration. Their boundless imaginations and uninhibited curiosity often serve as a refreshing reminder of the recklessness and spontaneity of creativity:

Alice Murray, Associate Partner at Pentagram, finds inspiration in seeing creativity through the eyes of her little boy: “I have loved seeing ‘creativity’ through my son – at two his form of creative expression/mark making is intriguing and I think we can learn from the pure form of expression without constraint.”

“Being exposed every day to my daughter’s vivid imagination and wild curiosity has no doubt helped me to think out of the box more. Also, some aspects of the job that made me anxious before are a little less intimidating now. I’m hyper aware that my most important ‘job’ is to be a parent to my daughter.” – adds Lorelle Skelton, The Creative Occupation.

So why aren’t there more of us?

But if children provide motivation, inspiration and force us to be more productive in the ‘9-5’, then why aren’t there more of us in the industry? I posed the question directly to the mothers themselves:

“I think that many people once they have children might not want to go back to work full-time, or if they do, that the companies they are working for don’t offer the flexibility needed to do this successfully.” – Alice Murray, Associate Partner at Pentagram.

“I think the design industry/agency model isn’t really currently built for working mothers, the deadlines, the dreaded schedule, the briefs that land on your desk at lunch that need finishing by the next morning and also frankly I think mothers just can’t be arsed with that shit anymore.” – Anna Wanczyk, Studio CZYK.

“Leadership is still mainly made up of men. And the set-up is not geared up to be flexible enough, still. People also view creative mothers differently than they view creative fathers. There is a negativity associated with being a mum that just isn’t the same with being a dad. It’s unsaid but it’s there. Like you’re not edgy enough or something.” – Dani Molyneux, Dotto.

“We need women to be able to envision themselves as successful business owners who can navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship while also flourishing in their personal lives. It doesn’t have to be one or the other.” – Jolene Delisle, Working Assembly.

“When conversations about motherhood come up I’m often told women must support other women, but I’ve thought for a while that it’s hard to do when there is no support to build upon. It’s like being told to build a skyscraper in the sky.” – Jessie Mcguire, Thought Matter.

An inclusive future

So, let’s talk about support. What tangible action could be taken by the industry to make it a more inclusive place to be for creative mothers? Well, it seems that flexibility has a big part to play…

“I think the industry could make flexible hours and four-day weeks the norm so that people have more options in permanent employment rather than having to be self-employed, which can add more pressure to work all the time. Women shouldn’t be made to feel like they are getting special treatment if they ask to leave early to pick up their kids from school or ask to take time off when their kids are sick.” – Sophie O’Connor, Freelance.

But flexibility and support shouldn’t be limited to women. Some argue that if greater support was granted to fathers too, then the responsibility of parenting and associated negativity wouldn’t always be with mothers.

Dani Molyneux, Dotto, says: “I wish that there would be encouragement for fathers to be flexible, so the onus is not entirely on mothers. If we were able to think of everyone as a team with different flexible needs to accommodate and then focus on how we make it work for everyone, there would be less negativity geared at mothers.”

Alice Murray, Pentagram, agrees: “I think if the industry gave more support to fathers then that in turn allows mothers more flexibility to share the child-care role.”

Sadly, the design industry remains overwhelmingly male. Unless both men and women unite to drive change, the adage ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’ will persist, leaving too few mothers in the industry.

“If we don’t share pictures, tell stories, recognize the ups and downs, then the picture of motherhood is static; when in fact it’s fluid. To me, this is how we take small steps to changing how this industry views motherhood and parenting in general.” – Jessie Mcguire, Thought Matter

Conclusion:

It’s time for the design industry to recognise the untapped potential of creative mothers. But the onus should not be entirely on us women. Collectively, we should be actively working towards creating a more inclusive and supportive environment that champions the whole person: both their creative work and personal lives. If nothing else, for the sake of our children.