Megan Howard, MBA’s Post

54 now but I remember being divorced and having 3 very young kids and it seemed like one was always sick . Worked in a sales role . I was never not working/ multi tasking but trade off was good . I had a lot of fear that any error any slip was because “she has kids or she works from home “. I was told I was doing well during an economic downturn but both my ex and husband were unemployed . They were then employed again and my my manager said “so now that they are employed are you going to be able to handle this job ?” This was because I would not have as much help at home . I asked him if he asked my male counterparts and he said “no because they have stay at home wives . “ . I tell this story only because I want younger women to know 1) It is not in your head 2) Keep the fight going because it took me a long time to find a supportive good company 3) You can not work 24/7 . You don’t owe that because you care for a child . Every human , male and female, deserves work life balance . I am hopeful for the next generation .

That is fantastic to hear. The companies I worked for years ago were not child-friendly at all and I felt pressured not to give my staff any extra consideration because it was frowned upon my mgmt. I myself was reprimanded for coming in a few minutes late on some days even though I worked through my hour lunch every day, didn’t leave at quitting time and took work home with me every night and weekend. Glad companies appreciate people more these days.

I remember when I used to work in Bank of Oklahoma I used to have a Sunday shift. I was pregnant with my second one, my husband was out of state working and no daycare was open as well in my area. I approached my supervisor about my situation and without hesitation, my supervisor told me to bring my toddler in the office and he would come in and watch my kid. It was amazing how supportive my supervisor is! He bought a bunch of snacks for my toddler to keep her happy and busy while I do my work.

After months of being furloughed last year ending with a layoff, I secured a new job with my current employer. 3 days after I started, my niece was killed in a car accident. She was my twin sister’s only child and so much more than a niece, to me. I am so thankful for the compassion my employer extended to me during such a tragic time in my life. No one should have to worry about risking their livelihood to attend a funeral for a loved one or to take care of a sick child. Jobs are important, but family should always come first. No employer worth working for would force you to choose between the two.

My company, family first; no exceptions.

Megan… I completely understand especially since I have a one year old myself and if they say it is a juggling act that is an understatement... childcare is the number one pandemic for parents… I hope he feels better and I hope nothing serious… keep up the good fight trust me it’s worth it all the way to the end…

This was my slack profile pic for most of 2020. Most of my clients got to know my kids VERY well as my 7 and 5 year old would come into camera view to say hi, tell my clients what they were currently working on or give them a wildly weird but hysterical piece of information they had learned. I became unapologetic about the fact that I was working from home and had 2 kids either schooling from home or just surviving. I remained professional and handled tantrums, outbursts, sick days and other things with as much grace as I could - and I cannot thank my employer and clients enough for giving me the space to multitask between my personal and professional lives. Now with kids back in school, I've regained some sense of normalcy working from home, but with COVID still very much a serious problem, kids are being sent home the SECOND they have a sniffle, sneeze, or cough so the need for flexibility is still very much there. If your employer or client base do not embrace this new normal'ness, I would reconsider the values your company brings to the table and either fight for change, or find somewhere that will accept your circumstances!

Are they hiring?

I am working as a Guided Project instructor with Coursera .. my contract started on February and should end on June with 10 projects published... my baby was born on January .. and later I have been hit by COVID19.. then I had the chance to travel to my family after 2 years of being away ..so I could manage to publish just 4 courses in that period of time.. I was so stressed and wrote an email to ask for contract extension but was so afraid of rejection.. I remember writing that email multiple times and deleting it. I was hopless so I decided to send the email and accept the result no matter what. After receiving their response I wished I sent that email days before... they were not just helpful and gave me extension but they were also kind, understanding, and supportive. Yes there are companies out there who treat employees with kindness and support.

It's so important to keep calling out employers who are doing the right thing. Hope your son is feeling better soon!