It's the type of topic you'd expect bloggers to well, blog about.
For the 21st time,Working Mothers Magazine released its list of the Top 100 family friendly places to work. The news was greeted with relative silence--at least among bloggers.
To get on the list,companies have to complete a 550 quesion survey. They are ranked on seven criteria:
The application includes detailed questions about the workforce, compensation, child-care and flexibility programs, leave policies and more. The application checks the usage, availability and tracking of programs, as well as the accountability of managers who oversee them. That means it's not enough to have a great program if no one is using it.
WHAT'S MEASURED Seven areas are measured and scored: workforce profile, compensation, child care, flexibility, time off and leaves, family-friendly programs and company culture.
So what's with all the silence? Is it because women don't care, don't believe the survey, or is it because as working mothers they simply don't have time to weigh in on the significance, gains, surprises and trends listed in the top 100.
The one place that does seem to be having a conversation about the list is in the MOMania, a blog on the Atlanta Journal-Constitution by Theresa Walsh Giarrusso. It's a conversation we've heard before: working moms should not have special work privileges.
From Brian:
My company is not “mother friendly”… and a good thing, too. I’ve got plenty to do without covering for someone else’s job too.
Now, if you want a realistic accommodation of people’s work/life demands, you could push for a WORKER-friendly company: one that treats all employees equally and recognizes that we ALL have obligations and responsibilities outside the office. But a “mother-friendly” company? Heck no, what a terrible idea.
From Not A Mom
I am a woman who chose not to have children, but I do have a life outside of the office. Why should mothers get extra flexibility in their jobs that I don’t? Personally I feel that ALL employees should have some flexibility in their hours, no matter what their family situation may be. We all have things we need to do outside of work. Not just moms.
From StayInvolved
At my company your schedule and flexibility with hours is not determined by your gender but by your position and business needs.
Sorry NoKidz, sounds like you work with some terribly selfish people. I recently had to balance work, motherhood and caring for a dying parent. Could not have done it without the help and support of my coworkers.
Here's a link to the top 100
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