Each year in October, Working Mother magazine releases their list of the 100 Best Companies for Working Mothers. While I have always enjoyed this issue, I found this year's edition to be particularly informational and inspirational. As the magazine points out, "more companies are embracing customized careers that bend to the changing needs of working moms. They're creating results-oriented work cultures -- rather than time-centric ones -- that give working mothers more control over how, when and where they work."
What makes these companies so special? Consider this comparison of the mom-friendly benefits offered by the Working Mother 100 companies versus the national average:
Flextime: 99% of Working Mother 100 companies vs. 57% of national companies
Telecommuting (on a part-time basis): 99% vs. 26%
Fitness Center Subsidy: 99% vs. 37%
Health Care Insurance for Part-Time Workers: 99% vs. 39%
Job Sharing: 99% vs. 18%
Adoption Assistance: 91% vs. 22%
Lactation Program Designated Area: 91% vs. 23%
Parental Leave Beyond FMLA: 77% vs. 20%
Paid Paternity Leave: 67% vs. 13%
Company Sponsored Child-Care Center: 64% vs. 5%
Clearly, these companies are trend-setters in providing much needed benefits for working parents. That said, I don't want to leave you with the impression that these companies are all wonderful places to work all the time. The reality is that many of these employers have demanding work environments that reward workers who put in long hours and are willing to be available 24/7. Even within the most progressive of companies, some managers show little interest in providing workplace flexiblity, and not all locations are able to offer the same level of benefits (e.g., daycare centers) enjoyed by those working in the corporate headquarters.
Nonetheless, I encourage you to pick up Working Mother's October issue to learn more about these companies and to get a better idea of what your company could (and should) be doing to become an employer of choice in the future.
And, if you work for a company that has "mom- friendly" benefits, we'd love to learn more about them as well. Please share your information by posting here.
