Last Thursday, I was called by Momasphere and Park Slope Parents Career Network (both fabulous Brooklyn based groups), to participate in a panel discussion of Sharon Lerner’s latest book, “The War on Moms: On Life in a Family Unfriendly Nation.” It was a great event and sparked some important discussions on work-life balance and the challenges facing moms today.
In addition to the author, I was joined by two amazing and accomplished pioneers in the work-life field, Anne Weisberg and Sherry Leiwant. Both were truly fascinating resources and brought great insight to the issues facing moms today. The book told some heartbreaking stories of mothers in America today struggling to maintain careers and households in the absence of adequate policies to support them. Here are a few of of my takeaways from the discussion:
- We’re working with a flawed system, but we have choices. One of Lerner’s objectives was to call attention to the inadequacies of the American system (e.g. limited and unpaid maternity leave, lack of childcare subsidies, lack of flexibility in the workplace, disproportionate division of housework responsibilities falling on woman) particularly in comparison with other countries. I agree with her assertion that it’s more than difficult for moms in this country due to a intricate web of societal factors and systematic failures. That being said, I resent the implication that we are victims of some kind of attack and are left with such limited options. I think we, as individuals, have the opportunity and ability to empower ourselves in the process of developing our careers and having families. I do believe the system needs to change, but in the meantime we each need to make informed decisions and develop creative, individualized solutions for ourselves.
- A new kind of corporate career path is on the horizon. I have not yet had a chance to read her book, Mass Career Customization, but I can’t wait to learn more about Weisberg’s work. She and her colleagues at Deloitte are piloting a program that will give every employee a framework for dialing up and down their hours, travel demands, and responsibilities as their personal needs change over the course of their careers. Instead of a corporate ladder, they are calling it a corporate lattice. A review of the book is coming soon!
- Meanwhile, it’s WAY too quiet out there. One of the audience members, a former architect of 15 years turned freelance photographer, asked if there were any programs designed to teach adolescents about work-life balance. She wondered whether educating younger workers and aspiring professionals about the realities of work-life would allow them to make more informed choices about their careers and plan them differently. I thought this was a FASCINATING idea. (Note: if you know about any such programs please let me know about them.) This is definitely a conversation that needs to happen earlier, with men and women. We have so few public models for how to balance work and life. Even though the Obamas recently called attention to it, work-life balance has not typically been associated with professional achievement. A successful man or woman has achieved status or prestige in their career, and is not someone who can juggle it all. I’ve seen very little information about how to plan for accomplishment and flexibility in our careers. When we have kids, we suddenly have entered a professional landscape that is unfamiliar and sometimes emotionally overwhelming. It’s time to prepare ourselves and our children better. Let’s talk about this more. And earlier.
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Great post – thanks for the info on the books and on the event. I agree there needs to be more education and formal thought about work/life earlier. Some college and MBA programs have started doing just that. I know Georgetown & Boston College have courses on this. It’s a step. It’s not enough, yet. But isn’t that what we are all working on – taking the steps that will lead to large change down the road. Here’s hoping we get there.
Rachel, I have read some portions of Lerner’s book and I took am struggling with the sense that there’s some kind of attack, but certainly there are fundamental systemic issues at play.
The MCC book is a fantastic, hopeful read and I believe there is a follow-up on the way. Deloitte’s is leading the professional services sector in my opinion. Certainly there are kinks in the program. But co-author Cathy Bento said recently that one of the most staggering things to the organization (before MCC) was that there were almost 40 separate flex policy options on the books, and work life balance issues were still the number one reason for departures. It almost always comes back to culture. Deloitte understands they address culture first and the rest will come. They embed work life balance issues into every conversation about scheduling, planning, career track, reviews, promotions and it’s measured. It eventually becomes deeply inculcated. And then it becomes reality.
I too have thought extensively about when and now this message gets out earlier. We’re all part of that process. Great post. Thanks!
The MCC book is a fantastic, hopeful read and I believe there is a follow-up on the way. Deloitte’s is leading the professional services sector in my opinion. Certainly there are kinks in the program. But co-author Cathy Bento said recently that one of the most staggering things to the organization (before MCC) was that there were almost 40 separate flex policy options on the books, and work life balance issues were still the number one reason for departures. It almost always comes back to culture. Deloitte understands they address culture first and the rest will come. They embed work life balance issues into every conversation about scheduling, planning, career track, reviews, promotions and it’s measured. It eventually becomes deeply inculcated. And then it becomes reality.
+1