life insurance
Building workplaces where equity extends beyond the office
A letter from the desk of Caitlin Anderson...
In dual-income households, the majority of working mothers still carry a disproportionate share of childcare and household management, despite also contributing significantly to the family’s income.
Some key numbers:
According to Pew Research (2023), 80% of mothers say they manage their children’s schedules and activities, compared to 53% of fathers.
A study published in Gender & Society found that working mothers perform 65% of the household’s cognitive labor, including planning, organizing, and managing family needs—even when both parents work full-time.
The American Time Use Survey shows that women spend nearly double the time on childcare and household tasks than their male partners, regardless of employment status.
So what’s driving this?
Many working fathers believe they’re balancing the load by taking on traditionally "male-coded" responsibilities (such as yard work, car maintenance, and finances) rationalizing that their role as the primary financial provider offsets the need to be equally engaged at home.
But this overlooks a critical element: mental load, or the invisible labor of anticipating needs, tracking details, and constantly managing logistics. This work is not only time-consuming; it’s mentally and emotionally taxing.
Unlike physical chores, mental load is hard to see and even harder to measure. But it impacts everything: productivity at work, emotional well-being, and long-term career advancement (especially for women with young children).
However, this isn’t about blame—it’s about awareness.
If we want to promote equity at work, we have to examine what’s happening at home.
If we’re serious about supporting women’s careers, we need to acknowledge the invisible labor many are doing before and after hours.
And if you're a working dad, this is an opportunity, not a criticism, to recalibrate, engage, and lead more fully at home.
The first step is asking: "Who’s carrying the load that no one sees?"
On a personal note, I feel incredibly fortunate to work for a company that does see this. Ford Insurance not only recognizes the complex demands placed on working parents, but actively supports flexibility, empathy, and trust in how we manage our time and responsibilities. That kind of leadership matters, and it has made all the difference.
Let’s keep building workplaces where equity extends beyond the office and into the realities of everyday life.