For so many parents and full time caregivers, the work day can start hours before they open their computer or begin their commute.  Surprise disruptions (such as lack of childcare or illness) will throw the most well planned week into a frenzy.  As the mother of a three year old, I know this firsthand.  Thankfully, I have been with Button for over four years, and I am grateful to say that this company has walked with me through every phase of building a family - from pregnancy, to maternity leave, to balancing motherhood with professional ambition.  Notably, Button's values recognize that working parents often face unique challenges and in response, Button has made it a priority to create and foster a supportive environment that helps balance work and family responsibilities, with the goal of helping employees thrive both professionally and personally.

I have joked with colleagues that caregivers organize their time around the "new 5-9 and 9-5" work schedule:

  • 5am-9am: Pre-childcare duties + work day preparation (exercise, commute, coffee, etc)
  • 9am-5pm: Traditional work day
  • 5pm-9pm: Childcare duties + catch up on work + general to do's (cooking, cleaning, laundry, prep for the next day, etc)

For many parents, this means that whole lives are lived prior to their first meeting.  From this vantage point, empathy becomes a critical value to support working parents, especially when the 5-9 and 9-5 is thrown into chaos.  To this day, I vividly remember the first time (and there have been many times since then) I woke up to a sick toddler the week of a major partner presentation, and my challenging circumstances were immediately met with support.  While I focused on my family, multiple team members stepped in to help with prep work and in turn helped me ramp back up quickly once my daughter was well. I will never forget this beautiful display of teamwork in the face of strenuous personal circumstances.  

In addition to an amazing group of humans that make up our workforce, Button puts into practice its commitment to working caregivers - below are a few highlights:

Flexible Work Arrangements

One of the most important ways that Button supports working parents is by offering flexible work arrangements. The company understands that not all parents have the same schedules or childcare needs, so employees are encouraged to discuss this with managers so that they are able to balance their work and family responsibilities. This includes the ability to work from home, flexible hours, and a RemotePlus option that provides access to coworking spaces. Button also offers unlimited paid time off and encourages employees to take time off when they need it.

Parental Leave and Policies that Support Family Growth

Button also understands the importance of parental leave, and the company offers generous leave policies for all parents.

Overview of Button's Policies:

  • Following the birth, adoption, or surrogate birth of a child, parents are eligible for up to 18 weeks of paid leave, and with intentional support to help employees ease back into work after their leave.
  • Parental leave is agnostic of gender, primary/secondary caregiver status, tenure at the company, etc. We also allow parents to split leave if more tenable for them to allocate time in increments.
  • Complimentary Snoo bassinet rental (just approved by the FDA)
  • Family-friendly medical benefits (75% of the premium for dependents for many plans is paid by Button). 
  • Employees and their families are offered complementary One Medical memberships, which include pediatric and virtual care

Supportive Community

Finally, Button has created a supportive community for working parents. The Parents ERG allows for folks to gather monthly to discuss a range of topics, while also offering resources that may be helpful for parents in different stages. I saw this play out recently when a colleague reached out in our Parents slack channel for tips and tricks for traveling overseas with her young son. Parents immediately chimed in with recommendations and stories of their experiences traveling with young children. It was incredible to see how easily she was able to gather a wealth of information and insights to help her plan a successful trip from this community.

If you have questions about Button's approach, please reach out!  Additionally, if this sounds like a culture you would like to be a part of, check out careers page for open roles.