DALLAS, January 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- In a worrying development for equal employment opportunities across the globe, new research commissioned by flexible workspace solutions provider Regus (http://www.regus.com/) reveals that only 31 percent of Canadian firms declare they plan to hire more working mothers as compared to 41 percent a year ago. Globally, 36 percent of companies plan to hire working mothers in 2011.

The study, which surveyed the opinions of business owners when it comes to working mothers, revealed residual concerns amongst employers. Business owners surveyed responded that they felt working mothers may:

- Show less commitment and flexibility than other employees - 37 percent - Leave shortly after training to have another child - 33 percent - Have out-dated skills - 24 percent

In Canada, employers were particularly concerned about a working mother's flexibility (38 percent), but much less worried about out-of-date skills (16 percent).

Wes Lenci, Regus regional vice president for Canada comments, "Although in Canada women's employment is reported to have fared better during the downturn, working mothers still find it harder to find a job than single women.[1] However, as hiring and retention become bigger focuses in 2011, savvy business owners will find that they are able to attract top talent and provide a more family friendly and productive work environment simply by allowing employees to work flexible hours or from remote offices closer to home. These types of benefits improve morale and productivity across the board, cultivating a stronger, more motivated workforce."

Methodology

Over 10,000 business respondents from the Regus global contacts database were interviewed during August and September 2010. The Regus global contacts database of over 1 million business-people worldwide is highly representative of senior managers and owners in businesses across the globe. Respondents were asked about their intentions to hire working mothers and about their role in the workplace. The research was managed and administered by the independent organization, MarketingUK.