Female company president apology to working moms

[Anonymous]

excuse my typos. stupid iphone.

[Anonymous]

curious: do you guys think that working from home is the solution to all this? Working from home can be a challenge because it may make it harder to be promoted (not as visible) and people may feel like they have to be always "on" in order to prove themselves. I wonder why the solution offered in this op-ed wasn't better management or training to prevent people like her former self from making those horrible management decisions, part time options, ect. I wasn't satisfied with her analysis that her company's model of women working from home would be a way to remedy this situation. I mean maybe some companies can do this but not all can.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great. So much better than Marissa Mayer, who after become a mother insists that nothing has changed.

No sh*t. If someone had rigged up a nursery next to my office and installed a nanny, my worklife wouldn't have changed much either.

I hate Marissa Meyer more as a WOHM than I did as a SAHM.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:curious: do you guys think that working from home is the solution to all this? Working from home can be a challenge because it may make it harder to be promoted (not as visible) and people may feel like they have to be always "on" in order to prove themselves. I wonder why the solution offered in this op-ed wasn't better management or training to prevent people like her former self from making those horrible management decisions, part time options, ect. I wasn't satisfied with her analysis that her company's model of women working from home would be a way to remedy this situation. I mean maybe some companies can do this but not all can.

I think WFH 100% can be a tough sell and there are downsides. But no reason that a lot more professionals can't work from home say 2 days a week. I think that is ideal. There are companies that have published studies on this and 2 days is a bit of a sweet spot - it lets the employee have flexibility and cut down on commute time, and encourages interaction on the days people are in the office. 2 days at home is ideal for me. I get a lot down on those days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:curious: do you guys think that working from home is the solution to all this? Working from home can be a challenge because it may make it harder to be promoted (not as visible) and people may feel like they have to be always "on" in order to prove themselves. I wonder why the solution offered in this op-ed wasn't better management or training to prevent people like her former self from making those horrible management decisions, part time options, ect. I wasn't satisfied with her analysis that her company's model of women working from home would be a way to remedy this situation. I mean maybe some companies can do this but not all can.

I think that working from home addresses some of the challenges, but not all of them. It also presents challenges of its own. When I'm at work, I am here. I'm generally focused on what's happening here. I don't work at home often, and because I don't have a routine there and do have a lot of other things dragging on my attention. I can't work when DD is home from school, so "working from home" on snow days or sick days doesn't work. I can see "working from home" addressing family issues like "insanely long commute" which is definitely an issue in this area.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This woman is a terrible person. No manager should treat any employee this way - man/woman/with/without kids.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Full disclosure: I know the author.

While I'm sure there's a grain of truth here, I wondered why Fortune was basically running an advertorial.

I don't know the author, but I wondered the same thing. Frankly, I also wonder why anyone would want to use her company's services when she openly admits to such a lack of insight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:curious: do you guys think that working from home is the solution to all this? Working from home can be a challenge because it may make it harder to be promoted (not as visible) and people may feel like they have to be always "on" in order to prove themselves. I wonder why the solution offered in this op-ed wasn't better management or training to prevent people like her former self from making those horrible management decisions, part time options, ect. I wasn't satisfied with her analysis that her company's model of women working from home would be a way to remedy this situation. I mean maybe some companies can do this but not all can.

I think it contributes to employee happiness and productivity, but it's not the end all, be all, and it's not necessarily appropriate for all roles. What companies should be doing is encouraging flexible time for all employees. Like as long as you're in the office for the core hours (we'll say 10-3) other than that you're free to set your own hours. And allow unlimited sick time, within reason (ie an absence of more than so many days requires a doctors note).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As someone whose spouse suffered from terrible PPD after our second and had to handle a toddler on top of doing daycare drop offs, I just sigh. We give each other so much grief in the work place just so we can defend our little piece of the piece.

I was that worker trying to juggle working at 5 am before the kids were awake or sending emails at 11 after that last feeding while straining to help my ill spouse. I didn't advertise it, but we are too hard on each other. Life happens. Illnesses happens. And while I get it, America's a competition and dog eat dog, you just never know when you are going to be that person in need.

We are all better now. I actually have risen to the senior executive levels in my company, and I am probably the most fair, kind leader when it comes to family/work balance because I've been there. Any of could will and inevitably will be because we are all mortals. We're one exam or tumor or stroke away from being the "needy" employee. Marissa Mayer included.

This is it. Life happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I judge parents all the time. We have two nannies to make sure that childcare is always covered. If you aren't ready to juggle work and kids hen don't have them! The other folks in the office shouldn't have to pick up your slack. This goes for men and women.

You're an ass.

[Anonymous]

I supervise several never married employees with no kids
who need to leave early, take time off, just as much as the parents in my office.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I judge parents all the time. We have two nannies to make sure that childcare is always covered. If you aren't ready to juggle work and kids hen don't have them! The other folks in the office shouldn't have to pick up your slack. This goes for men and women.

If you aren't ready to actually spend time with your children then don't have them.

+ 1

Bravo! Good reply to this obnoxious woman!

Those 2 nannies will call in sick today. Still covered? Nanny nr. 3?

[Anonymous]

Wow, she went to Trinity High School, you would think a Catholic education would provide more compassion.

But the drinking after work... She did go to Dartmouth.

Did her mom SAH? I wonder if this lack of perception can come when you don't have working parents or friends with working parents?

[Anonymous]

It's not fair to the people without kids or with good childcare to work their asses of while there people constantly leave for this and that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I judge parents all the time. We have two nannies to make sure that childcare is always covered. If you aren't ready to juggle work and kids hen don't have them! The other folks in the office shouldn't have to pick up your slack. This goes for men and women.

Having two nannies isn't juggling work and kids.

Nor is it parenting. I simply cannot imagine what life must be like for those kids.