Recently, I was reviewing my past blogs, essays, interviews, and articles, and it dawned on me: I have not devoted one publication to working mothers. So here it is! I remember how challenging work could be for my Account Executives and Strategic Market Managers when I worked at FedEx. Many times I did not envy them. Besides doing a fabulous job at work, they were also tasked with holding down a household and all the joys and catastrophes that went along with it. Working mothers should be praised more often than Mother’s Day, so as a participant to corporate America, let me make some suggestions on how you can invite your company to help make you more productive and less stressed. The advise below may seem unorthodox or impossible. Not So! There are at least 100 companies, according to Working Mother Magazine (October issue), who have implemented some of the strategies and policies below, and have found the results to be fantastic!
Flextime/Compressed Work Week: I always preach the importance of working smarter and not harder. To me, it is irrelevant how many hours employees put in to get a job done. I always measure them by results. Let’s face it, stockholders don’t care how hard executives work, they care about the value of their stock- the results! The same should apply to all levels of the company. Perhaps you can demonstrate to your boss that if your hours were more flexible, you could actually get more done. With this idea there is give and take, so don’t assume your boss has to do all the giving. Demonstrate with specifics just how the flexibility with your time will make you a more productive employee.
Telecommuting: Not only has the family structure changed, our capabilities have changed in part due to technology. What difference does it make if you create that presentation or write that memo from your office or your home? If you are fortunate to have a company issued cell phone, laptop, or blackberry, why can’t some of your work be done from other places? If you don’t have these resources, perhaps put together a cost-benefit analysis to demonstrate how using some of this technology cannot only make you more productive but might contribute to the company’s bottom line.
Access to Child-Care Services: Studies have shown that mothers who have child care services on site where they work, tend to stress less about leaving their children with child care services. Less stress and less time spent driving to/from child care or following up on childcare (calling, surprise visits, etc...) makes a more productive employee.
On-site Lacatation/Mother’s Room/Lactation Support Services: Since when did breast feeding become a bad thing? It’s a natural part of motherhood. Again, if these services are a part of on site child care, it can mean less stress on the employee, making her more productive.
Elder-Care Referral Service: In the recently published Maria Shriver Report, another factor that makes the challenges of working women so difficult is that many times she is sandwiched between the responsibility of child care and elder care. I’ve seen first hand as a board member at Alzheimer Day Services, how young people are desperate for outlets to help with their aging parents. Assistance with this issue would go a long way in helping an employee take greater charge in their personal lives.
Health-Care Insurance for Part-Timers: Many companies will hire more part-time employees rather than hire a few full time employees due to the cost of benefits. I’ve stated many times that I am a capitalist and realize the primary reason a company is in business is to make money, but not providing part time employees health insurance is just out right wrong. An employee is an employee is an employee. PERIOD. I not only favor the capitalist system but I’m also a big believer in the “triple bottom line” philosophy. To paraphrase, a company should not only have one financial bottom line, but a moral one, and one concerning the environment (Google “triple bottom line” for greater detail.) If your company is one that doesn’t offer benefits to part time employees, perhaps you can justify a minimum of partial benefits based on hours at work. Health benefits rank as one of the top reasons women chose to work for a particular organization. Having partial benefits for part time employment can attract the best talent.
Wellness Programs/Stress Reduction Program/On-Site Fitness Center: Many companies don’t want the expense of these programs, but what about the expense of employees who are less productive due to illness? Research shows that healthier employees call in fewer sick days, are more energetic and generally more productive. Look at Google and all the perks it’s provided their employees. They appear to be some of the happiest people you would see at work, and the company has done pretty well over the years.
Job-Sharing: A perfect example of this is illustrated by a friend of mine. At her last company, she and a colleague asked their Senior Vice President if they could split an open Vice President position. Both of them were top performers, but neither of them could handle the grueling travel and hours should either one of them be the successful candidate chosen. After reviewing their detailed plan, which included how they would master this newly created split position without costing the company additional expenses or benefits, the decision was made in their favor. It was a win-win for all parties, including the direct reports who could gain greater time and coaching with their new superiors.
Adoption Assistance/Infertility Treatment Coverage (In Vitro): I’m always amazed at how male centric our health care companies are: we’ll cover Viagra, but not birth control? The argument used for Viagra is that its purposes can also be for procreation. Really? 50, 60 year old men are procreating? OK then, why not cover the adoption and infertility treatment? Cost. Again, I go back to being consistent with policies and the triple bottom line. Research examples and see if your company is open to this.
Paid Time Off for Volunteering: The Vice President at my last job was very supportive of volunteer work. We got together twice a year to do projects ranging from working on someone’s house at Habitat for Humanity to collecting and delivering jackets for underprivileged school children. Volunteer work not only helps the individuals but also boosts the image of the company sponsoring it. When people feel good about an organization helping their community, it not only leads to them purchasing your products or services, but creates loyalty. That’s priceless.
Times are changing, and all institutions (especially corporations) need to keep up. Ask your company to rise to the challenge of making the work environment more suitable to your needs, so you can be the best employee possible.
