About 215 SmartBrief on Workforce readers weighed in on last week’s SmartPulse question: Should parents be allowed to bring babies to work?
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No, it’s too distracting or unprofessional – 158 votes, 73%
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Yes, assuming it’s safe and they still can get their jobs done – 57 votes, 27%
Employers and workers continue to struggle with ways to help working parents maximize their productivity without shortchanging their children — or losing their minds. Most of the efforts to help workers with very young children has centered on extending maternity leave, working at home, and setting up pumping rooms for women who want to breastfeed. (Some are beginning to question the wisdom of emphasizing the latter.) But in some cases, the win-win-win for mothers, babies and employers might be to simply allow mothers to bring their children to the office — and a quarter of you said you were open to the idea.
Does your organization allow babies in the workplace? Any tips on how to make it work for everyone?