As CrowdRiff adapts to remote working, parents navigate a balancing act
Parents and caregivers all over the world are now facing the challenge of working from home. Around 15% of the team at CrowdRiff has kids at home with them right now, and we want to acknowledge and celebrate the incredible job they are all doing in adapting to this unfathomable situation. This is not just “working from home,” it’s working from home in unusual and stressful circumstances, while trying to parent and even educate at the same time. As Elisa Cheng, who is home with her two-and-a-half-year-old, Bruce, put it: “You just can’t do 3 different jobs perfectly at the same time. There has to be a give and take.”
The CrowdRiff team has now clocked three weeks at home, and we spoke to some of the parents about this give-and-take and what seems to be working well for their families. Most of the parents agreed that while weeks one and two were the hardest, by week three many were starting to find a rhythm.
“All of the regular tips for adults, like maintaining a schedule, are helpful with kids. While we’re definitely in survival mode right now, every day we go for a walk at 7:30 am. Snacks, lunches, and naps happen at the usual time, helping my son get used to the new routine.” Heather Spencer, caring for Ira, aged 2.
Our new #parentsofcrowdriff slack channel is active, and full of links to educational resources and entertainment ideas. Andrea DeLong tries to take frequent breaks with her four-year-old daughter, Ava. “Every kid is so different, but after ten to fifteen minutes of one-on-one quality time, she will usually play quietly by herself for a while. Having a few new and exciting toys and puzzles on hand helps, too!”
Keeping kids engaged at home is taxing and highly age-dependent, as even the most appealing activities require supervision for the younger CrowdRiff kids. Lucas Luxton, dad to two-year-old Camden says, “We try to build in activities throughout the day to replicate the daycare routine — like 30 minutes with play-doh, 30 minutes painting — but it’s challenging, to say the least, and context switching between parenting and working is tough.”
Scheduling working time, whether it’s in a few 1–2 hour spurts, or even working at night is working well for some CrowdRiffers. “In the first week, I worked 9–5 every day, but doing the dad stuff and the work stuff simultaneously was exhausting. Now I’ve shifted to nap time and evening hours, and it’s much more manageable. I’ve also reset my expectations — it’s not a normal working environment, and you won’t be at the same productivity level, and that’s okay,” says Boris Rehak, dad to two-year-old Alexander.
Keeping lines of communication open, and even erring on the side of overcommunication, is something we’ve been encouraging across CrowdRiff as we adapt to this new way of working. Parents are no exception, and we’ve noticed a big uptick in the use of slack statuses and calendar blocks to let others know when they’re taking family time.
When CrowdRiff shifted to a remote protocol, we shared a WFH guide for managers, advising that ample flexibility and openness to irregular hours would be key in supporting all of our team members, but especially caregivers. We’ve also rolled out a new Employee and Family Assistance Program through our insurance provider, which gives 24/7 access to counselors by phone or video call.
Evan Wainberg says working from home with his eight-year-old and five-year-old is going surprisingly well, partly because they get along and can entertain themselves for long periods of time. Still, he’s grateful for the flexibility during this time, saying that “CrowdRiff has been incredibly understanding and supportive — there’s a lot going on for parents, but zero pressure to choose prioritizing your work hours over your family time. It’s awesome to know that this is who CrowdRiff is as a company.”
