Babies in the Workplace

programs clearly show a company's
commitment to their employees' family lives, but they also directly save employees money since they don't have to pay for day care and their babies get sick less frequently due to easier breastfeeding and lower exposure to germs from other children. The best part, from a company's perspective, is that this retention tool involves minimal cost and minimal disruption to the company, and are on top of all the other benefits that baby programs bring to businesses.

   Dana Croy of Magical Journey conceded that:

   Having a baby is a distraction at work. But at
   least it makes you want to be there, and
   makes you really want to do your best for
   your employer because they're bending
   over backwards for you.

   Debbie Butler said that, "We've had several people who said that the reason they stay is because they know they can take advantage of this program." Carolyn Gable summed up this phenomenon:

   I can go out and get a Fortune 50 company
as a client. That is not a problem. My
   problem is finding good employees who care
   about customers--employees who care
   about the freight, about a shipment that has
   to get there by 5:00 a.m. If I show my
   employees that I care about them and their
   life, they, in turn, care about my customers
   and about New Age.

   Deann Tiede of the Kansas Insurance Department said that she has noticed the impact of the baby program on employee retention and loyalty. She said that many of the parents who utilize the program are highly trained and know their jobs well. She
said, "If we are able to retain qualified,