Sunday is mom's special day, but 60% of working moms say they aren't getting special treatment in the office, a new Adecco survey finds.

Working mothers are as likely as non-parents to burn midnight oil by working late and checking e-mail after hours. Two-thirds of colleagues are equally inclined to ask a working parent (male or female) as they are a non-parent to engage in after-hours work. 

Nearly half of moms (49%) think their companies do not do enough to help achieve work/life balance, the survey finds. 

"The biggest message for any organization, manager, leader or employee is to be honest and frank about work, their ability to be productive and their need to be flexible," says Bernadette Kenny, vice president of human resources for Adecco. Additionally, she adds, "they to understand the consequences," should flexible work arrangements not be feasible. 

When it comes to fair distribution of work/life balance programs, it depends on who you ask. Sixty percent of working moms think they have the same level of access to work/life benefits as non-parents. Less than half of non-parents (44%) agree with the statement and one in four (25%) non-parents think they have less access.

But according to working moms, managing a career is much easier than managing a family. Seven out of 10 moms think managing their career is easier.

"The organizational skills that you learn at work can be attempted at home, but every family has a different dynamic," Kenny says. 

Surprisingly, 59% of moms think that motherhood has not impacted their career path, but 15% believe motherhood has had a negative impact on their career.

"As the workplace evolves and becomes more flexible, we are witnessing that moms are becoming more confident with maintaining both their careers and family lives.  However, challenges still remain, as an increasingly '24X7-on' culture is pushing everyone to be online at all times.  Employers should pay attention to this trend and ensure that all employees—not just parents—are able to better balance work and life," Kenny concludes. 

Adecco offers several tips for companies looking to help promote work-life balance:

Reward productivity, not face-time

Today's workplace isn't confined within the four walls of an office building.  Blackberries, laptops, webmail – all have made it easy for work to take place virtually anywhere and at anytime.  Rather than being hesitant to allow moms to take on flexible schedules or to work from home, be open to the idea.  Be sure to set defined works goals and results beforehand, and evaluate based on productivity and contributions vs. face-time.

Build an inclusive culture

Don't isolate work-life balance offerings to just moms, as this sort of preferential treatment can pit non-parents against their mom and dad counterparts.  Build a culture where everyone feels their personal commitments, whether it be kids, a significant other or hobby, are honored. 

Take your kids to work day

  Show your working moms and dads that you support and respect their commitment to their families by actively participating in annual take your kids to work day.  Inviting their children onsite will not only bring your staff closer, but will also serve to showcase the value their being a parent brings to the workforce. 

Practice what you preach

 Managers and supervisors need to lead by example as behaviors and attitudes will be sure to trickle down.  Respect your own work-life balance and try not to initiate or respond to emails on weekends or call staff after hours unless absolutely necessary.   

The survey was conducted online in April 2008. Participants included 2,138 adults, 1,262 of whom work and 352 of whom were classified for survey purposes as "working moms".