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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Google Makes Motherhood Count
The Human Resource Department of Google has adopted a new maternity policy for its staff California, aimed at making easier the work-life of new mothers to improve their productivity at work and impact families positively. Starting September 2015, mothers in California Google Inc. office will get 4 months paid maternity leave following which they can come back to work with active working hours of 6 hours per day for a further 5 months. The department has also put up a state-of-the art crèche/nursery to cater for those mothers who would like to carry their young ones to work.
This is a great improvement from the national policy of 12 weeks’ family leave. Google has always placed the well-being of its staff at the top of its priorities. Research has shown that childbirth is a life-changing event for many mothers (Tackett, 2015). In some cases, the event ends up traumatizing many mothers. According to a research report in the Trauma Psychology Newsletter, compiled by Tacket (PhD, IBCLC is a health psychologist and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) , women experience great trauma during and following childbirth, taking many months to heal(Tacket, 2015 p. 11). As stated by Tacket, “unfortunately, trauma after birth is by no means a rare problem” (p. 9). For this reason, The Google Human Resource department in conjunction with the welfare committee conducted a research to get the views of staff on the working conditions. Flexible working hours for new mothers was a major concern. To help the transition that women undergo after having children and to help them be productive at work, the new terms will go a long way in impacting families, communities and Google.
The company will pay full salary for 4 months maternity leave, following which the mother will return to work, working 6 hours a week for 5 months. Mothers are free to bring their children with them to work, leaving them in the nursery where there will be a fulltime nanny. Meals will however be provided by the mother. When applying for leave, mothers will be expected to indicate their desire to bring the children to the nursery so that the company can make the necessary arrangements. Should a mother desire to bring a child to the nursery without having indicated earlier, they will be required to facilitate a baby sitter. The nursery will be open for use by mothers with children aged between 5 months and 2 years to cater for the period when extended maternity leave ends and when the child begins playschool. Mr. Smith, chairman of the Google Welfare Committee, noted that ‘this will also help mitigate the cost of nanny care’.
The pilot program will start running in California after which an assessment to ascertain its success will be done, following which it will be rolled out in other Google offices all over the world, especially in those countries that t do not have ‘sufficient’ maternity leave for new mothers. This is only applicable to new mothers. The paternity leave provided for fathers remains same.
Google is committed to providing the best working environment with flexibility and an accommodating atmosphere. The company views this as opportunity to give back to the society by enabling easy parenting, child rearing and by extension happy families.
(Woodlandparentnurseryschool.org, 2015)
References
Tackett, K. (2015). The Psychological Impact of Birth Experience: An Underreported Source of Trauma in the Lives of Women. Trauma Psychology Newsletter, 9-11. Retrieved from http://www.uppitysciencechick.com/tp_birth_exp_2007_fall.pdf
Woodlandparentnurseryschool.org,. (2015). Woodland Parent Nursery School. Retrieved 24 June 2015, from http://www.woodlandparentnurseryschool.org/
