Ask any working woman who has children and they’ll tell you that being a mom is a job in itself. As such, oftentimes, it limits the hours we can devote to our actual paid jobs. So, working at a company that understands that your role as a mother comes first and tries to facilitate the work environment for you is crucial. Either for giving you a flexible schedule, to work part-time or simply offering benefits that align with working mothers’ needs, it’s liberating to know you work at a mom-friendly company.
Besides, shouldn’t every company help working parents succeed at work so that they are at their best potential? It’s for them you’re working, after all. Well, productivity at work is closely linked to finding a balance between work and home, and that is done by being provided paid/expanded parental leave, assistance for special needs, childcare, opportunities for career development, and why not a pumping room, too.
Mom-aiding benefits are often more important than salary! As recent research reports, caregiving is among the top ten employee health and wellness benefits priorities for employers, and we know that it is especially important for mothers. So, here is a list compiled of 7 mom-friendly companies you should consider:
1. Apple
Apple offers a generous 18 weeks paid time off and additional six weeks of unpaid time off for all birth parents. It also provides for its employees a daycare spending program allowing employees to set aside up to $5,000 in ‘pre-tax dollars’ for daycare. Finally, Apple offers 10 days of “backup care” which can be used for emergencies or one-off needs, e.g. when your child gets sick. In addition, they also cover the cost of egg freezing, in case you need this service. Oh, and you can work part-time, too.
2. Unilever
The number of employees and managers who are women also have an impact on a company being mom-friendly. In Unilever, 52 percent of managers are women. The paid maternity leave offered is 16 weeks. They also let employees telecommute (about 49% of them), which is a great help for moms. Finally, they also provide reimbursement on in vitro fertilization.
3. General Mills
The fully-paid maternity leave they offer lasts 30 days, but their benefits are impressing. General Mills offers onsite childcare, on-site or near-site backup childcare center, paid sick leave to care for a child or relative, offsite subsidized childcare, and even childcare reimbursement during business travel.
Moreover, they also cover fertility treatments when eligible and allow employees to work part-time when they need to spend more time with the baby. This company is mom-friendly also for the fact that it provides lactation rooms for breastfeeding employees.
4. Microsoft
As expected of this giant company, Microsoft is also mom-friendly. They offer 20 weeks of paid time away for birth mothers and 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave for all other new parents including adoptions and foster placements."Baby boxes" are also gifted to new parents along with a back-up child care program.
Moreover, lactation rooms are provided with the cost of shipping breastmilk is covered for employees who travel for work. And there is at least one ‘New Mother's Room’ in each Microsoft office.
5. Deloitte
In Deloitte, the percentage of employees who are women is 43 percent and such is the number of ones who are managers too. They offer 22 weeks of paid maternity leave and reimburse in vitro fertilization fees. The percentage of the workforce that has the option to telecommute is huge: 95 percent! Therefore, it’s safe to say it is mom-approved!
This company also offers free breastmilk shipping for all new moms. To sum up with the most impressive and special benefit, Deloitte offers each mom 6 months of unlimited telephone counseling with a certified lactation consultant.
6. Edelman
Edelman has recently started GWEN Lean In Circles, which is a program with the goal to empower women across all levels through group mentoring and peer coaching. There is a good number of female employees - 69% - and even better one that are managers - 71%. Furthermore, Edelman reimburses employees or partners (including same-sex partners) for in vitro fertilization.
7. Costco
Finally, we have Costco Wholesale. They offer 12 weeks of paid maternity leave, another 12 unpaid. Moreover, employees’ families can take advantage of tax savings by enrolling in the Dependent Care Assistance Plan which allows them to pay for daycare for children under 13, with ‘pre-tax dollars.’ Costco also thinks of adoptive parents. They have a special Adoption Assistance Reimbursement program that pays fees associated with the adoption process.
Dafina Zymeri is passionate about reading, writing, and self-development. She aims to make a difference with her writing and does it by intertwining her passions into helping mothers return to the workforce. She writes for mother-works.com, which is a job portal designed to bring together stay at home moms and recruiters