
Ask HN: How is your company supporting working parents during Covid-19? - forbiddenvoid
What strategies, safeguards or support is your company providing to help ensure that working parents&#x27; careers are not negatively impacted by the attribute of being a parent during a global pandemic?
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OldHand2018
Mostly just by being human. Two examples:

1\. We had an all-staff conference call, and right as it was starting a baby
started crying loudly. The CEO laughed and said it had been a really long time
since he's heard that in his house. Once it was quiet, he carried on as if
nothing happened.

2\. I was in the middle of a conference call, speaking about something or
another and my son starts his guitar lesson with the amp turned up way too
loud. The executive on the call yells out "Smoke on the Water! Sounds great!"
and while I'm frantically texting my wife to get the volume turned down he
talks about how he got to play basketball with his son in the driveway at
lunch and how great it was to see his kids so much more now.

Our company has been doing a lot better than expected since the pandemic
started, so that probably takes a lot of the pressure off.

~~~
cameronbrown
> Mostly just by being human.

If there's anything the corporate world could do with, it's probably this. And
not the fake kind of human that's been popularised by "modern" companies
(where things seem bubbly but aren't backed up by an actual culture of
respect).

I honestly believe that we can all make better products and company cultures
this way.

~~~
giantg2
Yep, my company fakes it. Awesome policies on paper, but they don't follow
their own rules.

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matt_the_bass
We just let our employees do what they need to do. One of my colleagues was
only working about 2 days a week due to kid duty for 3 months. We (as I.
Company and colleague) didn’t really have a choice. That’s just life. We all
know and understand. This results in a Good work/life balance and pretty
strong team.

Over the last 20 years, our SHORTEST engineering hires have stayed for at
least 5 years. Most stay longer. Core has been together for 19.

I take that as a sign of a pride.

~~~
chrismatheson
Where do you work? A place where people are staying that long seems like
somewhere to investigate ...

~~~
matt_the_bass
A small company that’s not currently hiring (sorry). A small company is not
for everyone. But I like it.

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duxup
I work for a small company, just a handful of people, just 3 who code.

They're great about everything. They get you have more productive days than
others, things happen, and it actually motivates me to put in extra time at
times, late nights at home after the kids go to bed (granted it's also about
just sharpening my skills and etc to me).

~~~
maps7
I would love to work for a company that size. Have you always worked in small
companies?

~~~
duxup
Nope, my previous job was 5000+ employees.

There are advantages and disadvantages for both IMO.

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thewalkeroo
At the corporate level, almost nothing.

“Here’s a hotline, don’t kill yourself”

and

“Here’s 15 days pandemic leave if you get covid”

What I would have liked is the ability to go on leave like my wife. I don’t
care if it’s unpaid, I just can’t take the kids being around the house with
noting to do now that my wife’s leave is done.

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cameronbrown
Up to 14 weeks of family leave for parents. I don't have kids but I'm happy
for those around me who need it to not be completely stressed out. The only
thing I'm unsure about is if it hurts career progression, but I doubt anyone
is progressing much this year anyway.

~~~
giantg2
At full pay? My company is giving 12 weeks of childcare leave at 60% pay.

I took 6 weeks of parental leave when my kid was born. It definitely hurt my
career and my bonus was 1% instead of the target 8% (we're pay for
performance).

~~~
cameronbrown
Fully paid, but it's a FAANG so that's not necessarily surprising.

~~~
giantg2
Nice!

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edithwilson
At Mirage we are using PPE for our working employees.

Meanwhile check - Wood vs. Concrete blog
[https://bit.ly/3eU17fh](https://bit.ly/3eU17fh)

