Hosted by: Global Women Hub
Panelists: Roberta Nicotra & Agata Spissu (Luna Lab co-founders), Flora Demaegdt (Dance Therapist)
Facilitator: Helena Demuynck (Leadership Coach)

Core Concept

Matrescence is the profound psychological, physical, emotional, and social transformation women undergo when becoming mothers—comparable to adolescence in scope. Despite being one of the most significant developmental transitions in adult life, it remains largely unnamed, unsupported, and misunderstood in professional environments.

The Central Problem

Organizations treat motherhood as a logistical interruption (leave, return date, flexibility issue) rather than recognizing it as a developmental process that fundamentally reshapes identity, priorities, and leadership capacity. This creates a costly mismatch:

• 1 in 5 mothers changes careers after maternity
• 2 in 3 mothers in Europe say motherhood negatively affected their career
• ~50% struggle with mental health issues
• Significant pay and pension gaps persist

Key Workplace Misunderstandings

The “Linearity Myth”

Organizations expect women to simply “return” after maternity leave as if nothing has changed—identity synchronized with the calendar. This fails to see:

• The complexity of balancing competing identities
• Hidden costs: mental load, sleep deprivation, physical recovery, emotional adjustment
• Changed priorities misread as “reduced ambition”
• Need for structural reintegration support, not just leave policies

What’s Actually Happening

Mothers aren’t less ambitious—they’re less supported in systems designed historically by and for men. Their ambition shifts focus; their definition of success evolves from pure productivity metrics to impact, presence, and meaning.

The Untapped Value: Leadership Capacities Through Matrescence

When properly supported, matrescence develops critical 21st-century leadership skills:

Transferable Competencies

• Emotional intelligence & empathy (what AI cannot replace)
• Prioritization & efficiency (laser-focused, no wasted time)
• Problem-solving & creativity (thinking outside the box daily)
• Perspective & resilience (courage, inner strength)
• Generative leadership (nurturing, empowering, building trust)

The Care-Leadership Connection

“Leadership is about applying your strength in service of others. That’s where motherhood meets leadership.”

Care work develops human-centered leadership essential for inclusive, sustainable organizational cultures.

What Organizations Must Do

Immediate Actions

• Recognize matrescence as developmental transition, not disruption
• Create safe spaces for vulnerability in professional settings
• Implement structured reintegration programs (not just leave policies)
• Provide flexibility and mental health support
• Value and reward maternal leadership qualities
• Normalize parental leave for all genders

Cultural Shifts Required

• Stop treating motherhood as individual problem—it’s a systemic challenge
• Redesign workplaces to support care responsibilities
• Change narrative: matrescence as growth passage, not career detour
• Build support systems: peer groups, coaching, phased returns

Critical Statistics

• 1 in 3 women in Europe have traumatic birth experiences
• 50% of new mothers experience excessive sleepiness up to 4 months postpartum
• 14% pay gap between men and women in Europe
• 18 categories of leadership skills developed through unpaid care work

Bottom Line

Matrescence is not a detour from leadership—it’s a passage that reveals what leadership actually requires.

Organizations face a choice: continue losing talent, confidence, and leadership potential by ignoring this transition, OR unlock significant competitive advantage by properly supporting it. When supported, mothers bring depth, discernment, emotional intelligence, and a different quality of leadership that organizations desperately need.

The conversation must shift from “How do we minimize disruption?” to “How do we recognize and leverage this developmental opportunity?”