Being a working mom or dad comes with its own set of challenges. You’ve got all the same responsibilities at work, but your priorities are more than just whether your next client meeting goes perfectly.
When you’ve got people depending on you at home, it changes things.
Interestingly, a recent report by Great Place to Work, indicates that working moms and working dads are actually more likely to be dedicated to their company than their childless counterparts.
A full 90 percent of working parents reported planning a “long-term future” at their organization, a plan far fewer of their child-free colleagues shared. And over 85 percent of working mothers and fathers said they saw their role at work as more than “just a job.”
The upshot? Working parents are some of the most valuable employees a company can have. They’re dedicated, efficient in terms of their productivity (they don’t have time to waste), and want the stability of the job to help provide for their family.
So companies that know how to take care of their working parents are ahead of the game. Here are the top five out of the fifty best workplaces for parents, as listed by Great Place to Work in 2018:
1. Hilton
Industry: Hospitality
HQ: McLean, VA, US
“I am able to balance my responsibilities as a mother and partner to my husband without sacrificing my career aspirations,” said a working mom at Hilton. “I get the best of both worlds because I enjoy the flexibility of working out of a remote office and traveling to various hotels within my region.”
Being able to schedule your workday around daycare (coming in early and leaving early), or being able to skip an afternoon meeting to make your kid’s ballet performance or soccer game might not seem like a big deal, but it’s a game-changer for many parents. And knowing you can do so without the subtle shaming that can come in certain work environments is equally as important.
2. Cisco
Industry: Information Technology
HQ: San Jose, CA, US
A whopping 94 percent of employees at Cisco said it was a great place to work-;and they employ over 37,000 people. “I’ve always felt that Cisco puts its people first,” said one employee. “Even during our toughest times leaders are open and transparent about what is going on.”
Transparency doesn’t mean perfection. It means keeping people informed, in real time, and trusting them with the information. Working parents in particular need to know what’s going on at their company in order to make decisions that matter to their families.
Industry: Telecommunications
HQ: Philadelphia, PA, USA
“New parental leave policy is a huge win!” said one employee. “I love that fact that even though we are a Fortune 50 company people genuinely care about your well-being and your life outside of Comcast.”
Parental leave–both maternity leave and paternity leave–is obviously a big deal for working parents. Interestingly, it’s not maternal leave, but paternal leave that has been correlated with more women in positions of leadership within a company.
When a woman has enough support from her partner at home, it’s easier for her to get back to work quicker and more smoothly. When it all falls on her, she’s far less likely to go back, and less likely to advance. If you want more women in leadership at your company, make sure you’ve got paternity leave handled.
Industry: Information Technology
HQ: Weston, FL, USA
Speaking of parental leave, one Ultimate employee said: “I just returned from my 4 weeks of paid paternity leave and it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Most companies still do not recognize the value a father can provide to his family after the birth of a child, so we are blessed that Ultimate does!”
Ultimate also makes an effort to include working parents in work trips. It offers department trips to locations like Disney World and the Bahamas, and invites family members. This way the team can stick together, and working parents don’t have to choose between their “real” family and their work family.
“From the first day that I arrived, it has been a blessing,” said another employee. “From the company-paid benefits for my entire family, to the stock given, which helped us to have our first home built, to all of the company perks given on a day-to-day basis, and wonderful people and work life balance. I hope to retire here.”
Industry: Professional Services
HQ: New York, NY, US
According to one employee, “Many vacation days, great work life balance, and there is a genuine push from upper management to encourage us to live a healthy balanced life while working. It’s called the ‘Be Well Work Well’ initiative.”
PwC puts its money where its mouth is when it comes to wellness, both physical and mental. It has been an industry leader when it comes to advocating for the mental health of its employees, and its employee assistance program provides 24/7 access to counseling. It also trains its ‘people managers’ on mental health and warning signs of burnout.