Hi, I’m Kate White, one of those millennials trying to retain sanity in the thick of balancing work and life as a working parent. This is the 3rd edition of The New Box, a writeup meant to spark ideas surrounding the concept of a better work-life “normal” specifically for parents and the employers who determine their benefits packages. If you’re enjoying it and know someone who’d like this sort of thing in their inbox, they can subscribe here. 👈
A(nother) note from where I sit
Oh hi again….
Yes, yes you did receive an email from me earlier today which was incomplete AND had repeated content from issue #2. FACEPALM.
So many apologies 🙏
Can I just say, this is a very fitting example of being a full-time employee / parent-of-small-children-and-animals right now? Feels like trying to hold down all the tent pegs in a wind storm, keep several trains moving in positive directions, herd cats… all the analogies that have to do with managing chaos.
If you’re a fellow parent reading this, you’ll get me.
If you’re an HR person or employer of parents like me, please have grace - both on me and the parents you work with.
The past ten weeks have been some of the most trying times we’ve collectively lived through on a macro level. On a micro level, it has become a DAILY battle to stay positive within the monotony of juggling repetitive domestic tasks on top of a workday full of eye-drying zoom calls. (See first link below! And the second!)
I know you all understand where I’m coming from. We’re all in this together in the weirdest way, and we’re all looking forward to brighter days ahead.
Here’s my humble weekly offering of concepts to spark what the “brighter days” can look like.
❤️
Consider This _ thoughts, ideas, resources that should be on your radar
Why is no one talking about how unsustainable this is for working parents?
“What’s the solution? I don’t know… Offer guidelines for how to safely set up small neighborhood daycares or childcare swaps? Because one thing is certain—even as the current headlines begin to talk about the economy slowly coming to life, parents’ lives won’t go back to normal until we get our village back.”
How CEOs Can Support Employee Mental Health in a Crisis
“Since the outbreak of the pandemic, 75% of people say they feel more socially isolated, 67% of people report higher stress, 57% are feeling greater anxiety, and 53% say they feel more emotionally exhausted.”
We Need to Talk About Why Businesses Are Opening Up Before Child Care
“… child care is becoming ‘more localized.’ Parents have solicited willing babysitters, organized nanny shares, and pulled together makeshift at-home day cares’ with neighbors in order to keep their kids safe while they prepare to reenter the workforce.”
How Slack Built A People First Company Culture
“Candidates are all asked the same set of questions. ‘If you ask every candidate the same question,’ said Grace, ‘you start to see what a good answer looks like.’ This was enabled to help alleviate self-bias, or the preference for candidates who are most like the person interviewing or hiring them.”
The 6 Feet Office
“ ‘The 6 feet rule’ isn’t going away any time soon and we at Cushman & Wakefield understand how critical it is to normalize this guideline into everyday life. Eventually, we will all return to work, but we must not forget this golden rule.”
Ones to Watch _ startups on the rise
Bump Boxes
Do you have pregnant or new parent employees you want to support from afar? Consider the Bump Box corporate offering!
Love❤️Note _ random things to warm yer blessed heart
The Moment When A Golden Retriever Notices Her 2-Week-Old Puppy Can't Find Her
☺️