Remote work allowed Alyson Velasquez to juggle her demanding roles as a Wells Fargo talent recruiter and as a mother of two young children, including a son with special needs. The flexibility made sense both for her job, working with hiring managers across the country, and for her kids, ensuring she would be available for medical appointments and pickups. Remote work “is wonderful for working moms,” she says.
Women like Velasquez have flooded into the full-time workplace over the past few years, spurred by flexible options combined with the rollback of pandemic-era school and day-care restrictions. The percentage of “prime age” working women—defined as ages 25 to 54—set a record in 2023, with moms of very young children leading the way.
These women have become the economy’s secret weapon—and one of the
