At Perficient, our commitment to fostering an inclusive and supportive environment for all employees is exemplified through our active Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). The Women in Tech ERG, is dedicated to empowering and uplifting women within our tech community. This Mother’s Day, we celebrated in a unique and meaningful way by hosting a “Working Moms Career Panel” – an event that highlighted the experiences, challenges, and triumphs of working mothers in the tech industry.
The Event: A Tribute to Working Moms Across Different Phases of Parenthood
The idea behind the Working Moms Career Panel was to create a forum where the voices of working mothers could be heard, and their journeys shared. The panel featured a diverse group of women from various tech roles within Perficient, each bringing their unique perspectives and experiences to the table. From single moms and co-parenting moms to moms from different countries with varying parental leave benefits, these women shared stories of balancing career aspirations with motherhood.
Key Highlights from the Panel:
Supportive Work Culture:
A supportive work culture was underscored as crucial. The panelists shared personal stories of how Perficient’s culture has supported them through various challenges, including miscarriages, difficulties with pregnancies, and postpartum struggles. Knowing that the workplace is understanding and accommodating during these tough times makes a significant difference.
Flexibility of Remote Work:
Panelists emphasized how remote work has been a godsend, especially given long commute times and childcare waitlists. The ability to work from home has provided them with the flexibility to manage their schedules better and be present for their children while meeting work demands.
Panelists shared that they feel empowered to “log off” to take care of sick littles whenever that phone call comes in. They feel empowered to make autonomous decisions to manage their workload while prioritizing their family. This is a top-down culture that is not common in the industry. Remote or flexible work options allow our global teams to continue work at home while taking care of their families. In-office mandates can prevent colleagues from being able to finish work at home when family needs call.
Diverse Parenting Phases:
Each panelist represented a different phase of motherhood, providing a rich tapestry of experiences. We heard from a single mom navigating the demands of work and solo parenting of a teenager, a co-parenting mom balancing shared responsibilities, and moms from different cultural backgrounds dealing with varied parental leave policies. Some parents are navigating newborn and toddler seasons of parenthood, calling out that each season has different demands, some more physical, some more mental and emotionally demanding. This diversity highlighted that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to managing work and motherhood.
Career Growth and Development:
Despite the challenges, the panelists also spoke about their career growth and how they’ve navigated promotions and professional development. They encouraged other working moms to advocate for themselves, seek out mentorship, and continue to pursue their career goals without hesitation. A key message from the panel was that you can’t and should not being trying to “do it all.” Building a support village is crucial to career growth. Team members encouraged one another to lean more on their partner to carry the load. Hiring out help at home for things like housekeeping and grocery shopping can allow team members to dedicate more mental space to work, furthering their career progression.
Perficient’s Supportive Benefits and Culture:
Perficient offers a range of benefits that support working moms including remote work options. These benefits help employees balance professional and personal lives effectively. From parental leave policies that cater to different needs to counseling services and flexible time off, Perficient is working to ensuring that all parents feel supported to parent out loud and have the autonomy to balance prioritizing their families alongside work commitments.
Moving Forward:
The Mother’s Day Working Moms Career Panel was a resounding success, shining a spotlight on the remarkable women who balance the demands of career and family. It served as a testament to their strength, resilience, and the incredible contributions they make to our company and the tech industry at large. While work is being done to distribute the demands of work at home, more focus needs to be allocated to this area. The more we can evenly distribute the mental, physical, and emotional workload of unpaid home labor, the more we enable working parents to remain in the workforce, especially working moms.
A heartfelt thank you to Olivia P., Carolina C., Jessica Zink, Marcela Landaeta, Samantha Ziegel, Elizabeth Vanover, and Kate Feltman for their unwavering support for fellow working parents. We also extend our gratitude to Perficient’s leadership for their commitment to creating programs and fostering a culture that uplifts and supports working parents.
Check out Samantha Ziegel’s LinkedIn post for more details and join the conversation!
