‘Babies-at-work’ benefits answer a crying need

Even as the economy forces some organizations to cut benefits, it’s prompting others to add one: allowing parents to bring their babies to work. In just two years, the number of organizations with a babies-at-work benefit has more than doubled to 130, says Carla Moquin, founder and president of the Parenting in the Workplace Institute. She advises managers to start small and to create a formal policy full of “safety valves.”

That’s how one New Hampshire company is making its babies-at-work program a success.

Badger, a family-owned manufacturer of moisturizers and other skin-care products, treats its babies-at-work program like any other employee benefit: It has clear, written guidelines.

The Gilsum, N.H., company has allowed five babies at work so far. HR and team leaders review requests from parents on a case-by-case basis. They reserve the right to turn down requests for safety reasons or because the parent works closely with other employees.

Several other common-sense rules guide Badger’s program:

• A baby is welcome at work only through the age of six months, or until he or she begins to crawl.
• The parent takes a 20% pay cut, as execs estimate the baby will demand about two hours of mom or dad’s time each day. The parent may make up the hours by working from home.
• The parent designates two volunteers among co-workers to briefly take over child care duties when the parent goes to meetings or takes phone calls.
• Babies stay with the parent or one of the substitutes all times.
• The parent is responsible for the baby’s care, safety and diaper storage and disposal. Parents are also in charge of keeping the baby from distracting co-workers, and for meeting the usual work standards and deadlines.
• HR and the team leader meet with the parent immediately if anyone complains about the baby.
• Badger reserves the right to end the arrangement if the conflict cannot be resolved.

The organization’s owners have said the benefits of the new program outweigh the concerns.

Among the other 129 employers we found that have babies-at-work programs: management consultancy The Ken Blanchard Companies (32 babies to date); the Schools Financial Credit Union (39 babies); and various Kansas state government agencies (257 babies).