Curbing the Shecession: How McKinney is 'Strengthening the MomForce'

Mothers were three times more likely (than Fathers) to lose their jobs during the pandemic, and creative agency, McKinney wants to reverse that statistic by helping mums reclaim their jobs through a new program called 'Strengthen the MomForce'.

Job-searching mothers can reach out to McKinney directly to connect with employees who will lend their expertise by offering resume writing tips, interview skills training, overviews of new social platforms, advice on improving your portfolio and coaching on how to lead in a remote environment. Mums seeking help simply fill out a Google Form stating what they need help with and then will be matched with a McKinney employee for assistance. Participating McKinney employees include mums, non-mums and all genders. Mothers can also visit McKinney’s LinkedIn page for more resources, or fill in this form.

McKinney created this programme to support job searchers and also the marketing, advertising and communications industry. Mums offer a valuable, unique and profitable perspective; shares in Jessica Alba’s Honest Company, which she founded because of her experience as a mum, soared 44% after the company IPO’d last week. Losing their presence in the workforce hurts Moms, families and companies.

“The difficulty of being a working mom in advertising hit home even harder for me this past year. I don’t know if I would have made it through without the collective strength and support of the moms at McKinney – and I hate to think about any of them having to leave the industry. I can’t imagine what it would be like trying to return to the workforce without a support system. Many moms will need help getting back into the industry, and I wanted to put what we’ve learned this year to good use," said Jasmine Dadlani, chief strategy officer, McKinney.

“Returning to the workplace, even after a short maternity leave, can be a nerve-wracking experience. Add to that all the changes that our industry, all businesses, and our world have undergone during the pandemic. We want moms returning to marketing and advertising to feel that they are equipped with the knowledge and self-assurance they need to find their next opportunity," said Erin Christensen, group client director, McKinney.