Babies in the Workplace

the NAIC explained that she's "seen [the baby program] soften the workplace. Every time we get a newborn, for a couple of days, everyone rushes to play, touch, and look at them. But then the baby just becomes a fixture," and people accept the babies as just part of the environment.

Brent Roper, when asked if other employees complained about having babies around, shared a story. One married couple, both of whom work at the NAIC, recently had their first child. Brent was talking to the husband and asked if the couple was planning on splitting their time with the baby at work so that the baby's presence wouldn't inconvenience their respective project teams. To Brent's amusement, the husband said that the decision was actually a big controversy because their work teams both "wanted to have the baby all the time."

   Jackie Hockaday explained:

   We're driven by some pretty crazy
   deadlines, and people can be stressed
   out. The minute you walk in with a baby,
   everyone just kind of forgets everything,
   and they relax, they talk to the baby, and
   everyone forgets about stress for a
   moment and refocuses. I think it's
   refreshing to people. We're all stressed
   out, but we have this baby giggling and
   laughing and loving life. We
   reevaluate--you say, these schedules
   really aren't that bad. It sounds silly to
   say, but that's the effect.

   Wendy Zanotelli of UNCLE Credit Union said that:

   People pitch in and help out. If a mom is on
   the phone or with a member, someone else
   will rock the baby or play with or feed [him].
   You'll see the CEO or me walking around
   with a baby. If people need a stress break,
   they go play with the baby.