Is your Workplace Parent-friendly?

The other day, I had an encounter with my work neighbour in the women’s restroom of the co-working space where I work

As I was washing my hands, I noticed that she was washing parts of her breast pump, which led to a conversation about her children. 

My next question was naive.

“So, where do you pump?”

“The toilet,” she said. “Where else?”

Her answer made me sigh and remember my own experiences nursing my child during the pandemic. I was lucky enough to be restricted to home, but I couldn’t help but wonder how I would have managed if I were in a traditional office, where I would have had to use the office toilet to pump. Not pleasant or hygienic.

I don’t expect workplaces to automatically know what parents and mothers with young children need, and that’s why I’m sharing my wishlist for a workplace that cares about parents:

1. Lactation/pumping rooms - women need a dedicated space to pump, and the only place to pump in many workplaces is…the toilet! This must change. 
2. Equal Parenting Leave - equal parental leave is also crucial. Dads should have the same opportunity to bond with their child as mothers do, and this leave would enable both parents to participate in the early days of caring for their newborn. Additionally, equal parental leave will ensure that women are not penalised for being away for an extended period. 
3. Flexibility - Parents, both mothers and fathers, need more flexibility to juggle work and parenting, particularly those with younger children. Providing flexibility only to women leads to a slippery slope, where all child-rearing responsibilities fall on them, making it difficult to manage the balance.
4. Daycare / Childcare Support - I see so many posts on Mums’ groups on Facebook to this effect: “I had to leave my job because of the number of days I was taking off”. It pains me to read this because not having adequate childcare support hurts so many parents who could be balancing both work and parenting. 
5. Parenting Programs - implementing a parenting program can help parents navigate the world of child-rearing, maintain work-child balance and raise the next generation of human beings on this planet. A workplace that cares about its employees’ collective well-being should consider this option to support its employees. 

I understand that change cannot happen overnight and that workplaces have many expenses to deal with, but it’s time to start the conversation to ensure that our workplaces evolve into a more balanced one. 

Do you have a wishlist for a workplace that makes it easier on parents, particularly mothers with young children?