Working mothers are tasked with navigating how to keep their job (and their sanity) as they bring a new human into the world. Add to that unease breastfeeding, lack of sleep, child care coordination, and a billion other worries that new mothers deal with, and you can see why it’s important for a workplace to show some respect.
New mothers not only need a quiet place in the office to relax and pump, flexibility in working hours, and the opportunity to work remotely, but they also need emotional support. (New fathers need support, too, but research says companies are already giving them that, at least financially.)
But, when all is said and done, new moms need the tangible stuff, too. InHerSight recently conducted a survey of 7,500 working moms in order to find out what working moms want; paid time off, flexible work hours, awesome coworkers, equal opportunities for men and women, and the ability to telecommute were the top five, in that order. Then we looked at how companies in our database ranked for those qualities and compiled a list of the top 20 best companies for working moms.
So what are these companies doing that’s so different? Here’s a deep dive into five so you can see what it looks like when a company is truly killing it.
Ultimate Software (4.7 stars)
Working Moms Ranked #1
Ultimate Software, a leading cloud-based human capital management (HCM) solutions company, has been topping lists right and left over the last year for their commitment to putting their people first.
At the end of 2018, the company was #1 on the Best Workplaces for Women list that Fortune and Great Place to Work puts out. Ultimate Software also topped the list of Fortune’s Best Workplaces in Technology list for the fourth year in a row, and was ranked #4 on Great Place to Work’s list of the Best Workplaces for Parents in 2018.
The company also integrates employee sentiment analysis to better understand what their employees are actually thinking and feeling, which no doubt helps them create a plan that’s highly satisfying to employees, including new moms. Other impressive info:
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Almost half of company frontline managers are women
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The company’s Women in Leadership (WIL) program promotes inclusivity, equality, respect, and care for all individuals, according to an Ultimate press release. WIL also offers women a community to come together, no matter job level or position, to network and attend events.
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Infertility treatment included in healthcare plan.
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100% employer-paid medical, dental, and vision premiums for all employees and their families, including same-sex married couples.
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10 weeks of maternity and adoption leave, and four weeks paid paternity leave.
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Unlimited PTO
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$300 per child annually to help parents cover costs of their children’s activities
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Onsite “Mommy Rooms” for nursing mothers.
Another thing we love about Ultimate Software: WIL offers two annual scholarships for graduating daughters of Ultimate employees of up to $20,000 each. These awards are given to young women who want to go into tech-based fields, like programming and engineering, or who demonstrate excellent leadership skills in their school or community.
It’s easy to see why Ultimate Software tops the list.
Palo Alto Networks (4.4 stars)
Working Moms Ranked #4
Palo Alto Networks is another highly rated company by its employees, largely for its many perks, benefits, and employee-first messages. The cybersecurity company shows its commitment to diversity with the “Power of Inclusion” program to start discussions about what the terms diversity and inclusion mean to each and every employee and encourage them to think of ways to foster an inclusive workplace.
The company also offers:
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Unlimited PTO and sick leave
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Flexible work hours
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Remote work opportunities
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A women’s affiliate group
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12 weeks paid maternity leave, and 6 weeks paid paternity leave
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6 weeks partially paid maternity leave
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Onsite lactation facilities for nursing moms
The company is also a member of the Workforce Alliance within the National Center for Women and Information Technology, working to increase the number of women going into the cybersecurity field. The company develops toolkits for high schools in the community and nearby community colleges to ensure students are aware of careers in cybersecurity, and Palo Alto sponsors a computing collegiate award for cybersecurity.
Sterling-Rice Group (4.3 stars)
Working Moms Ranked #5
Sterling-Rice Group is a Boulder-based media company that offers many family support benefits, as well as a nice array of perks for all employees.
Some of the company’s family support benefits are:
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On-site nursing facilities
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Fertility and adoptive assistance - $5,000 to offset costs
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Milkstork services (a breastmilk delivery service)
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Benefits to employees caring for an aging family member
The company’s “Relaxation Row” brought some attention a few years ago from Ad Age, who named it a best place to work in 2016. Relaxation Row is a space where employees can enjoy naps, meditation, massage, and a mother’s nursing room. The company also offers onsite yoga and acupuncture each week.
Everyone needs to relax and take a break, but these perks are especially appealing to new moms.
Other benefits are 30 PTO days per year, unlimited sick leave, flexible work hours, and remote work opportunities, all of which are crucial benefits for the modern working mother.
Procore Technologies (4.4 stars)
Working Moms Ranked #7
Leading construction management software company Procore Technologies was recently named #4 on GlassDoor’s list of the 2019 Best Places to Work. The company is known for its excellent company culture, which succeeds with an open, diverse, and laid-back atmosphere.
Procore offers:
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Unlimited paid time off
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10 days of sick leave
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Flexible work hours
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Remote work opportunities
The company also has dedicated spaces in the offices for nursing mothers, nutrition and weight management counseling programs, and yoga and meditation offerings, and the office is pet-friendly.
Procore also has a Women in Construction (WIC) initiative, which focuses on increasing the number of women in the construction industry.
The Motley Fool (4.0 stars)
Working Moms Ranked #15
Last but not least (in this roundup, that is) is the Motley Fool, the financial services company that offers advice on a variety of topics about personal finance or investing. The company recently got some attention because they paid their employees $200 each to ask for a raise.
For new moms (and dads), the company offers:
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16 weeks paid maternity and paternity leave
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Local daycare discounts
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$200 for new parents to use towards their new child
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Flexible spending for dependent-care expenses
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Flexible work hours
The Motley Fool also has their own in-house financial planners employees can meet with, and many health and wellness perks, like a full-time certified personal trainer, free boot camp and yoga classes, subsidized massages, massage chairs, free in-house health classes and equipment, and healthy snack options.
Their health benefits are hard to beat: comprehensive coverage through a PPO plan is only $4 per paycheck for a single person.
