No one would say that being a working parent is easy. If you have a newborn at home, good luck getting more than a few hours of sleep each night. Once your children are in school and participating in extracurricular activities, you have to pick them up at one place and drop them off at another. Don’t forget the overall pressure of having another human being relying on you for food, shelter and clothing. You have enough responsibilities to make parenting a full-time job without ever having to set foot in an office.
And if no reasonable person would claim the life of a working parent is easy, you probably won’t find anyone who thinks working mothers have had an easy time balancing work and family. Working women have faced an uphill battle for generations and still do. As we’ve pointed out, don’t be an attractive woman who wants a
traditionally masculine job or you’ll be sorely disappointed. Progress has a long way to go.
But the situation for working women in 2010 is better than in previous generations,
as we have recently noted. As that study explains, 20-something single women are the ones making the greatest financial gains, and experts suspect that this is because many women wait to get married and have children in their 30s and 40s. Essentially, once a woman becomes a mother, her professional life becomes more affected than that of her male counterparts. Each couple decides how it wants to divvy up the daily responsibility, but women still seem to be the ones who leave work to pick up the children from school or who stay home if they get sick.
Realizing that mothers – and women who plan on having children – have extra factors to consider in a job hunt,
Working Mother magazine has compiled a list of the best places to work.
The Working Mother 100 Best Companies list is based on “work force, compensation, child care, flexibility programs, leave policies” and other factors affecting workplace productivity and culture.
For any worker, especially a working mother, access to on-site child care or the ability to telecommute is important for balancing work and life. Working Mother magazine says that the companies on the list are ahead of most national organizations. For example, only 37 percent of nationwide companies offer health insurance for part-time workers, whereas 100 percent of the companies on the list do.
Family-friendly benefits and programs that help keep working moms' careers on track have mored forward in the 25 years since the launch of
Working Mother's first Best Companies list. Now
Working Mother 100 Best Companies offer programs that help all employees with their struggles to gain some work-life balance. Here's what we have found.
Mothers who work at this health-care company don't need to skip their kids' choir practices or school plays just to impress the boss: Last year, 89% of employees held jobs that permitted them to flex...
Whatever their personal goals may be, women can find support for them at this management consulting, technology and outsourcing firm.
Women make up a third of all officers, board members and management team members at this financial services and insurance company.
Adding spaces at a child-care facility near headquarters helped more parents enjoy sliding-scale fees for care; those with teens took advantage of the company's 42 $7,000 college scholarships.
"Hub, club, home and roam‚" might sound like the chorus of a preschool song, but it's actually the motto of a formal flexibility initiative that's growing at this financial company.
Kids get a great start in life when their moms work for this Web services company. Its innovative Well Baby program offers coaching on prenatal care, childbirth, lactation and newborn health.
In 1997, this law firm opened a child-care center at its headquarters, making it one of the first in its industry to do so.
Working moms at this pharmaceutical firm enjoyed last year's pilot of its Total Leadership program, an initiative that used guided exercises and group coaching to help participants prioritize and...
Wake up, get dressed, grab coffee, walk to desk. That's the extent of the daily commute for moms enrolled in this technology company's "homeshoring‚" program, which allows associates to work...
This management consulting firm is committed to advancing and retaining the talented women who work for it.
Despite a history that stretches back more than 200 years, this bank stays modern by allowing its employees to define how they work.
Women can really improve their families' fortunes when they work for this Florida healthcare network, which offers up to $4,000 in annual tuition aid for a bachelor's degree and up to $6,000...
Alternative work options are big at this health-care insurance company, where all employees used flextime in 2009.
Making its list debut, this pharmaceutical company offers great benefits that include 100% tuition reimbursement for job-related courses, which saved employees $7,597 on average last year.
Women flock to the system's mentoring and career counseling programs, apply for up to $5,000 in annual tuition aid and score 72% of top salaries.
Change was in the air at this strategy- and technology-consulting firm last year.
There's a lot to admire about this management consulting firm, where the number of female consultants has doubled in the past six years.
Parents rejoiced recently when this biopharmaceutical company opened its fifth child-care center near its New Brunswick, NJ, campus.
Despite the faltering economy, last year this Midwestern health-care system refused to cut benefits that help employee families.
Anyone who works at least 20 hours per week is eligible for health insurance; at three campuses, health centers treat kids over age 2 for free.
The company's focus on creating a new generation of leaders may be paying off: Half of its highest earners and management team members are women.
Moms are deeply appreciated by this pediatric health-care system, which annually names one female employee Working Mother of the Year and rewards her with a paid day off, a spa trip and Atlanta...
In 2009, the company introduced job-sharing, formalized both part-time schedules and full-time work-from-home arrangements and added global policies that made flextime and telecommuting easier to use.
Last November, this financial services company launched Women Leading Citi, a program pairing female directors and managing directors with career advocates who help them locate development...
Education is highly prized by this consumer products company, which generously grants its employees up to $10,000 in annual tuition aid for job related courses and offers their teen children college...
Parents at this law firm's headquarters find its near-site day care, which serves 85 kids from infancy through age 5, a huge stress reliever–but no matter where they work, they'll find support: The...
In 2009, this financial services firm piloted Maternity Coaching, a quarterly program that prepares women for maternity leave by establishing the steps they need to take to ensure a smooth departure...
Celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary last year inspired this information technology and services company to think big.
The new sabbatical program offered by this professional services organization supports such aspirations, granting employees four unpaid weeks off to do anything they like (climb Everest, hang with...
To enhance their knowledge, moms can apply for annual tuition aid of up to $5,000 for undergraduate studies or $10,000 for graduate work.What We Love
Finding a good child-care provider is stressful, but for employees of this alcoholic beverage company, it's easy. Parents can utilize a resource and referral service to locate care and may now access...
Moms cherish this media company's family-friendly atmosphere. If they have a baby, they can take nine fully paid weeks off to bond and enjoy; new fathers and adoptive parents receive three fully paid...
Women frequently work unorthodox schedules for this silicones supplier, but what matters to their employer is what they do, not when they do it.
Moms who need to travel overnight for work are fully reimbursed for their childcare costs.
Bicycling on a beautiful day, fishing in a well-stocked lake or gathering family for a picnic and softball game relaxes the moms who work for this pharmaceutical company, which maintains its own 267-...
With 75% of its employees working out of client offices, this professional services firm offers scheduling freedom to those who pursue it.
All new parents receive at least four fully paid weeks off after a birth or adoption, with up to $10,000 in adoption aid; at most sites there are lactation rooms with pumps and refrigerators, and a...
Flexible schedules (compressed weeks, telecommuting) are increasingly popular; if their positions allow, moms may design their work around use of these two arrangements.
Making impressive strides last year, this Memphis-based financial services company introduced both a diversity council and an executive advisory council that support the advancement of women, as well...
Women anticipating the birth or adoption of a new family member still get 16 job-guaranteed weeks off, including seven partially paid for birth moms and two fully paid for primary adoptive caregivers...
With 5,350 employees at 17 sites in seven states, this mortgage finance firm wisely focuses on benefits that can be customized.
Parents who work at the headquarters of this biotechnology firm rely on two near-site child-care centers with fulltime, backup and school holiday care for 565 kids, plus "date nights‚" for Mom and...
To show employees that hard work and a healthy lifestyle aren't mutually exclusive, this infrastructure, finance and media company launched Health Ahead, its new global wellness program, last...
Moms head five of the seven U.S. retail divisions of this food manufacturing company, with Yoplait president Becky O'Grady added in 2009.
In 2009, after internal surveys found that its employees sought greater work-life balance, this investment banking, securities and investment management firm sprang into action.
Sometimes just knowing the right way to handle things can set a leader apart. Last year, this professional services firm introduced the Centered Leadership development series, which helps women at...
At monthly gatherings, female leaders talk to up-and-coming women about the lessons they have learned during their careers; last year, women represented 63% of all managers and executives at the...
It's all about family at this health-care system, where employees are eligible for 24 job guaranteed weeks off to deliver or adopt a child.
During the extraordinarily busy time that surrounds the arrival of a new child, parents at this human resources outsourcing and consulting firm now have a little more breathing room.
Starting the week on a high note is easy at this health insurer, thanks to Monday Morning Leadership, a four-month training and peer-mentoring program for managers and team leaders in each business...
After the birth of a child, mothers can take six fully paid weeks off; adoptive parents receive up to $3,000 to cover their costs.
This information technology company offers real help to employees whose children have mental, physical or developmental issues. Its Special Care for Children program covers medical testing and...
Parents enjoy this technology company's Family Fun events, held at least 55 times a year, at which they play games, watch movies and volunteer with their kids.
Anyone with a teenager knows the anxiety of preparing a child to leave the nest, but with this health-care company's free College Coach program, the next stage doesn't have to be stressful.
At this law firm, women have taken sabbaticals to travel Europe, create works of art or just enjoy time with their kids.
Keeping its workforce healthy is a priority for this food giant, whose Feeling Gr-r-reat wellness program offers $1,100 in annual incentives to salaried and nonunion employees.
After the birth or adoption of a child, employees may take 26 job guaranteed weeks off, with 12 weeks partially paid for moms and eight weeks fully paid for primary adoptive caregivers, who are...
Smart women do well at this consumer-goods company. If they are considered "high-potential," they are given executive coaches (who help them sharpen their skills) and connected with company leaders.
This iconic toy maker merits a high approval rating among employees, with 100% of those surveyed saying they are proud to work here.
Employees care deeply about the work they do at this nonprofit foundation, which supports prenatal care and baby health. To honor fathers' participation in their infants' lives, management last year...
Marking the tenth anniversary of its Women's Leadership Development Initiative last year, this hospitality services company took a look back at how the program helped diversify its pipeline for top...
Mothers of children with autism were comforted last year when this payments-solutions company began covering up to 60 annual visits to speech, physical and outpatient behavior therapy for their kids.
Alternative schedules are popular at the accounting, tax and business consulting firms known as McGladrey, the brand that comprises RSM McGladrey and McGladrey & Pullen. In 2009, 90% of their...
Expectant moms have struck gold with this information services provider's new Maternity Management program, which streamlines doctors' appointments and nursing consultations to take them smoothly...
With the formal launch of its Mom's Network last year, this management consulting firm gave all women who were expecting or raising children their own representative–a dedicated manager assigned to...
This giant pharmaceutical company really did its employees proud in 2009. Its new Exceptional Caregiving website provided a variety of resources for those raising kids, teens and young adults with...
From its Janesville, WI, travel clinic to its six-bed hospital in Lake Geneva, WI, this health-care system offers moms many opportunities to advance.
The arrival of a child is celebrated by this financial services firm, which allows new moms to take eight fully paid weeks off and grants two fully paid weeks off to new dads and adoptive parents.
With 100 hours of emergency care at their disposal every year, parents can easily request an in-home visit by a caregiver, and they'll pay just $4 per hour for up to three dependents.
Women make up 71% of the workforce at this cancer research and treatment center, and they have formed a real community. Workers praise managers who've championed them to pursue education or allowed...
First laugh, first step, first word. No parent wants to miss these milestones of a baby's development, which is why this agricultural company offers them the option of applying for a year of job-...
Moms at this financial services firm are constantly being connected to employee networks that help them maintain work-life balance.
Taking five paid days off to spend at a child's school or participate in a school-related activity might seem too good to be true to most moms, but at this labor organization, parents can do it every...
Moms get at least three fully paid weeks off for a birth and can express breast milk in the facilities' Mothers' Centers.
It's been 20 years since this financial services firm opened a childcare center at its Chicago headquarters, the jewel of its work-life program. Since then, once-foreign offerings such as flex hours...
Moms can have lasting careers at this academic medical center, where women already serve as two thirds of all managers, senior managers and top earners.
Every mom wants her child to get a solid education, but many worry about the best way to save for tuition. By opening its "Saving and Paying for College" seminar to employees with kids of all ages,...
Imagine working for an employer that encourages taking a long lunch break to train for a half-marathon, provides free yoga classes on-site and even repairs your bike.
Raising young children while caring for elderly relatives can be stressful, which is why sandwich-generation parents are so grateful for this media company's thoughtful solutions.
From conception through college, employee kids are supported by the policies and programs of this health-care company.
Getting attorneys to relax is tricky–there's always work to do. So in 2009, this law firm made a revision to its flexible work initiative, encouraging moms to take a break.
Women are moving into the top echelons of this financial services company. While they currently serve as 68% of branch managers and 53% of regional managers, they are assuming assistant vice...
Female partners who are chosen for the new Breakthrough Leadership Development program at this professional services firm are destined for the executive suite.
When this financial services company recently surveyed workers about its flexible schedules, the response was staggering. People raved about how they were saving time, exercising more and seeing...
Adopting a child takes time, money and patience, but for so many parents, it's the realization of a dream. Recognizing that, this consumer products company offers employees who adopt up to $5,000 in...
Parents hold 54% of the jobs at this financial services firm, and 36% have children young enough to attend day care. They appreciate the childcare center that the firm offers at its Woodbridge, NJ,...
Wellness is emphasized by this pharmaceutical firm, where a multitasking mom might find herself flexing her hours, telecommuting, working half days on Fridays or even applying for a six-month leave...
Moms at this consumer products company can take mildly ill children to a local hospital for temporary care, with 75% of the cost covered by their employer (up to $500 per year).
Last year this health-care system doled out $3.9 million in bonuses to employees through its Success Shares incentive program.
All those little things no one tells you about being a mother are addressed by the Practical Parent Education program at this semiconductor and educational technology company. Available on-site and...
Getting a master's for $280 (plus the price of books) is just one of the great deals available to moms who work at this health-care system.
In times of challenge and crisis, moms at this media company don't have to go far to find support. If they are concerned about their physical well-being, they can visit the new health and wellness...
Investing in its people is a priority for this academic medical center, which last year spent $1.6 million on tuition to help employees pursue certifications and academic degrees.
Scheduling freedom abounds for the employees of this academic medical center, who earn 27 to 43 paid days off every year.
Lunchtime workouts keep moms fit at this telecommunications company, where 31 on-site health and wellness centers offer yoga, spin and Pilates classes for $15 per month.
Working from home has become a way of life for many mothers at this health benefits company. Last year, 14% of associates telecommuted full-time, and thousands more did so casually.
Sometimes moms just need an extra hand to get things done, which is why the launch of a concierge service by this health-care organization made such a big splash last year.
Unlimited paid vacation time–could such a thing exist? Yes, if you're at the level of vice president or above at this hospitality company, where tantalizing perks are the norm.
When you look at the amazing benefits that this university offers its employees, it's obvious why 11% of them have worked there for more than 25 years
You can tell a great deal about an organization by how it treats employees when the chips are down. Last year, senior managers at this teaching hospital donated more than $50,000 to create a fund for...
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