Babies in the Workplace

   in a baby. [Schools] went that far above and
   beyond to let parents be able to bond with
   their child in the early stages of life.

   The other people in a work environment also play a part in whether someone stays with a particular company. If you like the people you work with and you look forward to seeing them on a daily basis, you're much more likely to stay where you are. Knowing that they'll be able to see and play with babies when they go to work can be a substantial benefit for other employees.

   Though some people's lives revolve around what they do in their jobs, for many people a job is simply a means to an end. They may enjoy what they do, and they enjoy spending time with the people they work with but, to a large degree, a job is
something they do primarily for money, and then they go home to their families and their "real" lives. When a company

understands this and finds ways to show that it recognizes the importance of family life to its employees, employee gratitude and loyalty to the company tends to be extremely strong as a result.

   Giving a mother or father several extra months to spend with their new baby is a far more valuable gift to a parent emotionally and financially (due to day care savings) than, say, an exotic potted plant or even a hundred-dollar bonus. Debbie Butler of Valley Credit Union said that they've

   had moms or dads who brought their first
   and second children through the program;
   they're still working here. They say the reason
   they stay is because they've been allowed to
   do that.

   Having the chance to spend those first precious, irreplaceable months with their
baby engenders loyalty far beyond most other employee perks. Not only do these