It’s no secret that there are way too many workplaces and managers out there who expect working parents – and basically all employees – to act like they don’t have a life outside of work.
The advent of Covid meant more and more people working from home, though, and some places of business have been forced to adjust their expectations accordingly.
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Now that many people are headed back to the office (and some still aren’t, and won’t be), Altria’s VP of Communications Megan Witherspoon hopes that more and more managers will continue to prioritize their employees real lives – as long as they’re able to get their work done, too.
Her recent post on LinkedIn reflected on what she does and does not care about as a manager, and it’s resonating with people everywhere.
It begins, “I DO care that your daughter is home with yet another ear infection. I DO NOT care that you’ll be offline for 2 hours this afternoon for her doctor’s appointment.”
The post ends with “I DO care that you deliver quality work and perform at your best. I DO NOT care when, where, or how you get your work done.”
There are many people applauding her for this level of flexibility (and probably a bunch of people who would love to go work for her), but others have pointed out that there are industries, like medical fields and other essential businesses, that simply aren’t able to allow it.
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Do you think that all industries need to strive for more flexibility? Do you feel valued, and like you can ask for time off or to rearrange your schedule when something from your “real life” comes up?
Let’s kick around some ideas about how to make things better in the comments!
