INSIGHT The War for Talent Three ways the design industry can seize this moment and champion working parents. By Amanda Schneider
Mamava is a good example of a business that addresses the needs of working parents—it has thousands of freestanding lactation spaces around the United States, and an app that helps breastfeeding parents find them.
ADVOCATE FOR MENTAL HEALTH The pandemic has exacerbated many of the challenges working parents already faced. And as I write this, the Omicron variant is surging everywhere, closing schools and making parents feel as if it’s impossible to have both a kid and a job in this era—again. 68
METROPOLIS
“We have this ‘lean-in generation’ of working parents who have to speak up and be willing to do what the generation before us had a harder time doing. Part of which is saying ‘This is what we need to be successful.’ The next generation of parents should not have to ask, ‘How can I do both?’ ” said Nikkie Kent, CRO of Mamava, in a recent ThinkLab Clubhouse session. Here are a few ways you can advocate for mental health for working parents: 01 M ake sure home office setups are adequate. Support expectant and breastfeeding parents with the information they need to be successful when they return to work. 02 Consider creating a remote-working guide for parents with tips and tricks to navigate working from home with kids. 03 Find ways to create community, through Facebook or organizations like ASID or IIDA. MARCH/APRIL 2022
COURTESY MAMAVA
Late hours, crazy deadlines, pressure to network—the real estate and design industries can make it challenging for working parents to find enough time in the day. As many firms begin rethinking norms and policies, we have an opportunity to reflect and consider when, where, how, and even why we work. I—along with a small but mighty army of working parents in the Chicago area—want to challenge our industry to think bigger. We are poised for change, especially during “The Great Resignation” and as the war for talent heats up. The pandemic showed us that time is our greatest asset, and with this in mind we believe we can build inclusive policies and practices that can attract talent to our industry. Here’s how:
