Why flexible workplaces are the future of great parenting
Because mums and dads are more than what’s in their employment contracts
Prior to helping manage Xero’s data, I was living and working in Singapore with my husband. While we absolutely loved it, after about five years living overseas the pull of starting our own family became too strong, and we decided to head back to New Zealand.
I actually started in the customer experience team at Xero — called CX Core — made up of a team of individuals in the wider customer experience team who had a strong accounting background. No two days were the same, so it was a great way to learn about Xero, the product and get to know the people who made up the company.
But when my first son Louie entered the world, I was thrown into a circus of work and life — and the balancing act really began.
Getting started on the right foot
Parents, and mothers in particular, are hugely disadvantaged by time out of the workforce raising families. It’s well-known that women not only retire later, with less retirement income, but they also struggle getting back into the workforce after maternity leave.
This is especially true for women in tech, where products and frameworks develop at a breakneck speed. These challenges are not exclusive to women, of course, because when men are denied time out of the workforce to raise their babies they are stripped of something equally valuable, but the cost to women is infinite.
The silent penalty of motherhood
While it’s encouraged for mothers to have children, it often feels that there’s a silent penalty attached to the choice when it comes to career progression and income. The truth is, though, when mothers are accommodated properly by their employers, they’re more efficient and resourceful.
Learning the art of balancing work and parenthood gives us so many skills across time management, organisation, negotiation, problem-solving and communication, and the most interesting thing is that literally everybody benefits from that: not just us, but our families and our employers.
It’s like a crash-course in how to create high-impact work in less time.
When women choose to return to work after having babies, it’s often because they have an appetite for success that’s driven by a desire to contribute, and only compounded by the life-changing skills parenthood affords. From a business point of view, that makes for a very valuable player indeed.
I’m a perfect example. When Louie was one, instead of seeking a life of just nappies and playdates, I was more compelled than ever to take the next step in my career. So, I decided to try and follow my passion within the organisation, and after some epic mentoring with a data whiz at Xero, I moved into the Data Team.
And then there were three
Why double the fun when you can triple it?
Within another year I had a full brood at home — made up of a three-year-old and a set of newborn twins. I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t return to work at the end of that maternity leave, but also, life had changed radically again — I was dealing not only with raising small humans, but a personal tragedy as well.
Luckily, when I sat down with my manager about the possibility of being remote, they literally came back with a ‘can’t see why not’ within 24 hours. Then, even better, a recommendation to apply for a team lead role that they were fine with me doing remotely.
When that happened, I really felt that my employer understood the humanness of my situation. As a mother of three young children, including two one-year-old twins, they knew how important being flexible was for me at this stage of my life, and that mattered profoundly.
Why flexibility matters
Most people’s wee ones have probably been sick this winter — mine certainly have. I always know when I get that daycare phone call what it’s going to be about, and it’s really amazing to be able to say ‘sorry, got to go’ to my manager without ever being made to feel uncomfortable about it.
Because here’s the thing — children are torpedoes of unplanned chaos and parents shouldn’t have to hide that, or try and cover it up.
…They shouldn’t have to pretend that their car didn’t break down, or that they weren’t up all night rocking an unsettled baby, or that their child isn’t hanging off of them for dear life as kids do when they’re sick.
The world of work is a different one than it was when I was employed ten years ago, where I felt like nothing more than an employee. If all companies could embrace the complex (but super beneficial) nuance of parenting identity, it would simply be a better place for everyone.
One of the biggest ways parents can be supported is by having the option to work fully remotely.
When you have young kids, your day is 5 hours longer than it was pre-children, so being able to cut out that commute time, and spend precious time with your little ones before and after work, or an extra day a week like I do, is invaluable.
When people can bring their whole selves to work and parenthood; we benefit from both an individual and collective perspective.
Being remote gives me a breathing space that fills my cup for my children and my husband. Because, the reality is, I have a life that isn’t solely my employment contract. For the first time ever, I feel like my employer really gets that. Imagine if all parents had this flexibility and choice?
If you want to do the best work of your life, fulfil your career goals and maintain a happy home balance, Xero is hiring for a number of great remote roles across product and technology. Join us.
