HometownQuotes is one of three documented companies in the Nashville area to establish a Babies at Work program according to the Parenting In the Workplace Institute which has confirmed 102 participating companies nationally. This company initiative stems from the growing national trend designed to help new parents balance work and family.

HometownQuotes anticipates its Babies at Work program will be a success. Having sought professional assistance from the Parenting in the Workplace Institute and guidance from other companies that have successfully implemented the program, HometownQuotes is treating this like any other workplace policy.

“We understand that advance preparation is vital to making this work. We’ve created a policy that has plans and provisions in place for any situation that may arise. We have a strong family culture at HometownQuotes and because so many working parents choose to quit work after having a baby, we believe this will help us retain those team members,” said HometownQuotes’ Chief Financial Officer Bob Klee.

Critics question if babies will distract workers and wonder how engaged parents will be in their work. There are also liability questions. Typically companies ask parents to find a daycare center once babies start crawling. But for the most part, workplaces offer new mothers an easy transition back to work and a new environment for babies.

More companies are allowing women and men to bring their babies to work. The advantages are clear, the women don’t lose money by taking maternity leave. They can breastfeed conveniently and they can bond with the baby rather than worry that he or she will develop a closer connection with a nanny or a day-care provider. Of course, disadvantages are clear too. The needs and noises of babies have the potential to be highly disruptive and to stir resentment among co-workers. At HometownQuotes, this was not the case.

The company sees multiple benefits to the program:
1) Parents can continue progressing in the workplace.
2) Babies get valuable attention and bonding time.
3) The company retains parents and eliminates time and money spent on training temporary workers or replacements.

The most successful programs are ones in which companies have written policies to designate another employee as an alternate caregiver in case the parent is temporarily unavailable; to specify areas for breastfeeding or changing diapers; and to spell out the ages when children are allowed in the office. Usually, babies are allowed up until 6 to 8 months, or before they start to crawl. HometownQuotes allows parents to bring their babies to work until the child is 6 months old or mobile.

For small companies like HometownQuotes, which has 34 employees, offering a babies to work program helps reinforce its family like culture, Klee says.

“We are always saying that we care about our employees,” he says. “This shows that.”

HometownQuotes.com provides online insurance quotes for consumers seeking insurance from local insurance agents.