Creating an Environment for Working Moms

As a working father and CEO of WiHood.com, a secure virtual PC service for children allowing them to do their homework, store their favorite pictures, and play games online safely from a USB bracelet, I understand the need for flexibility in being a parent. I don't think the sex of the individual matters though a single Mom has my full sympathy.

Trying to manage a real life and dealing with a child's dynamic life alone is approaching Sainthood. We men should have greater compassion for these woman and men who too are in the same role. Most of these amazing people are doing this solely because of their love for their child.

Isn't this the ideal employee? An employee that lives every moment dedicated to something other than wondering when is it time to go home. Big corporations must realize that they are made of many individual lives and that the corporation will only prosper when the employees receives the recognition that they deserve.

Sometimes that recognition can come in the form of a simple gesture to let that person finish the assignment at home. Compassion doesn't cost anything, it actually returns everything.


Thomas F. Anglero, CEO
www.WiHood.com

WiHood, the World is your neighborHood!

Isn't it really working families that is the concern -- and being family friendly?

Why stop only with Moms? Dad has no say or emotional commitment to the family?

The idea that Dads are the ones who destroy families with long working hours and a detachment from family issues hurts all agency females too. Work places should be family friendly unless they are firmly intent in destroying the remnants of the American family altogether.

Then what about job out-sourcing to countries like India and China.

I know for a fact that Hong Kong agency offices of American companies have ten to twelve hour days and six day work weeks. And I have heard that Mainland China and India are even worse.

Where does the responsibility rest? How many agencies are addressing the policies of offices in foreign countries?

I am also curious where the statistic comes from that you use for our industry having more females in key roles than other industries -- I thought that title went to most major U.S. corporations and primarily to school teachers and nursing professions.

The idea that we need to be more flexible in the workplace and family friendly is great, but who says we are not, other than Marc?

What about working dads?
www.fathersandhusbands.org/a.pdf

Richard Smaglick
Co-Founder
fathersandhusbands.org
www.fathersandhusbands.org

Creating an environment for working moms should be a top priority for not only communication-related jobs, but also nearly every firm. Marc's last reason for being open to the needs of new moms is the only needed explanation: "It's 2008. It's the right thing to do." This statement is the absolute truth for all companies contemplating flex schedules, on-site daycare and many other programs built for working parents.

According to the Moms in Business Network and the International Association of Working Mothers, there are 82 million moms in the United States, and 74 percent of them---SEVENTY FOUR PERCENT!---work from home or for a business. Not devoting time to programs and efforts to please and cater to this massive number of working moms would be devastating to large firms because of the very reason listed above. It is 2008! I emphasize this reason because, as a female graduate in the class of '08, whether a company offers amenities for working moms will be one of my top determinants when deciding where to work. I am not alone with this view, and I can assure companies that the thousands of other women graduating from my university, looking to start a career or move on to graduate school and then a professional job---like myself---will be factoring in a family friendly environment when applying to a company and deciding where to bring their hard work and loyalty. I believe many firms may fear such a sense of leniency or---more appropriately titled: flex---into their workplace, but they must realize that instead of initiating a lax work environment, working mothers will be appreciative and will simply work that much harder to earn their stay in an understanding and forward-thinking firm; I know I would. All firms must realize the huge loss of talent they would undergo should they decide to skimp on working-parent structures, because, as was brilliantly stated before, it's 2008 for crying out loud and it is absolutely the right thing to do!

It would have been nice to read about how forward-looking HR policies have helped your agency specifically, and as others have pointed out, how working dads fit into the picture.

Since you've assumed the mantle of 'progressive' and 'family-first', I assume you offer paid leave to new moms and at least unpaid leave to new dads?

I agree that there are not cookie-cutter solutions, especially at smaller shops -- I just come away with no context of where your vision of 'progressive' matches up with the actual benefits that make your agency worthy of these buzzwords.