A very refreshing article—check it out: “Parents Discover Babies in the Workplace Gaining Acceptance” Parents Discover Babies in the Workplace Gaining Acceptance. Under one program, parents can bring their newborns to work for the first eight months or until the infant starts to crawl, whichever comes first. I read this story by story Jessica Marquez from workforce.com.
HometownQuotes is one of growing number of employers offering “babies to work” programs, according to Carla Moquin, founder and president of the Parenting in the Workplace Institute, which provides employers with resources to set up such programs. Despite only having 115 employers registered with the institute, there has been increasing interest in the idea the past few months, Moquin says.
In the last eighteen months, ten employers have launched these programs. The idea is catching on for many reasons, Moquin says.
First, many employers are now hearing about such programs through the media, and they recognize it’s an inexpensive way to attract and retain talent, she says.
But given the economic downturn, many employers are realizing they won’t be able to give raises. At the same time, employees complain about the cost of daycare, she says.
Companies that have been offering babies-to-work program for years, such as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, say the business case is evident in employee loyalty and productivity.
The Kansas City, Missouri-based nonprofit group, which supports the fifty state insurance commissioners, often competes with large private employers for talent. But it can’t offer the same kind of compensation private companies offer, says Andrew Beal, active executive vice president and CEO of the organization, which has 427 employees.
