Parents are a Priority: Inside our 'Babies at Work' Policy

We have long been aware of the child care crisis in Vermont. For years, our team has heard countless employees lament the lack of available child care, particularly for those coming back to work following parental leave that requires one of the coveted “under 2” spots. 

We heard from employees who thought they had a care spot secured only to hear it was no longer available as expected, leaving a parent nervously scrambling to find care while returning to work after the birth of their child — a significant transition period. 

Instrumart wanted to do something to help alleviate this stress, so in January 2022 our team rolled out a new “Infants at Work” policy. It allows parents to bring their babies to work after parental leave until they are eight months old or mobile, whichever comes first. Since the introduction of this policy, we have hosted three babies in the office and will soon be welcoming another. 

The response to this benefit has been overwhelmingly positive. Not only are our parent employees appreciative, but the positive cultural impact throughout our office has been palpable. The positive presence of children in our office has far outweighed any challenges we’ve encountered (which have been incredibly minimal). 

“On any given workday, we have 60 people in our office, handle more than 300 customer phone calls, and transact more than $300,000 in business,” said Instrumart President Brian Leffler. “I have been impressed with how little disruption having the baby at work has caused.”

“I have also been surprised with the positive impact having the baby at work has had on our company culture and morale,” he continued. 

We strongly encourage other employers to, in a similar fashion, get creative!

If we can answer any questions about how our program works, please don’t hesitate to reach out. It truly takes a village.