What to expect when you're expecting babies in the workplace

Only approximately 20 percent of households have a parent who stays at home. The majority of parents face an extremely challenging question after the birth of a child. They must decide whether to put a newborn child in daycare or quit work and stay at home. This dilemma causes employees to put two different loves at odds: a child and a career.

Bonding is essential for a newborn's development and provides many emotional benefits to the parent. But a career also can be an important part of a person's life. A job provides fulfillment beyond paying the bills each month. Missing out on months of work can be detrimental to an employee's career advancement. Lately, some employers have started implementing policies that allow for employees to have another option.

Bring your newborn to work

Some employers have allowed employees to bring their newborn children to work. Such policies have encouraged employees to work harder because of their appreciation for the program and been used as effective recruiting and retention tools. Although allowing babies in the workplace can be beneficial for employer, employee, and baby, the policies should be clearly explained in the employee handbook to respect coworkers and ensure unbiased application.

The Parenting in the Workplace Institute (PIWI) can guide employers that are considering implementing a policy that allows for newborn babies to come to the office. Molly Ging (a Michigan store owner who implemented a program for babies at work), Carla Moquin (founder of PIWI), and Mary Lawrence (director of talent and finance) recommend employers consider the following: