It’s not an exaggeration to say that the past year brought extraordinary challenges to the professional and personal lives of everyone, everywhere. When we closed our offices at the beginning of the pandemic and employees began working from home, the lines between our work and personal worlds were blurred like never before. Our teams had to quickly adapt to new routines, set new boundaries, and redefine the meaning of work-life integration. This was especially true for our employees that are parents and caregivers.

Caring for a family while working from home can be challenging. Koddi recognized this early in 2020 and added additional benefits to support our employees including, flexible work hours, a monthly childcare and education reimbursement, and a premium membership to Care.com.

We reached out to a few of our resident parents and caregivers to hear their perspectives on the past year at home. Here’s what they had to say about their experiences and what they learned along the way.

How do you achieve balance as a work-from-home parent?

“It is extremely challenging! I’ve found the most important thing to be truly signing off when I’m off the clock — not checking slack messages while cooking dinner or writing an email during bath time. It’s much harder to do while at home, but an essential key to feeling like you are doing either task (working or parenting) well.”
-Leah Simpson, Senior Manager of Client Services

“Every morning, we go on a walk as a family, and then I attend morning announcements with my second grader (the pledge, school song, etc.). Between calls throughout the day, I get in snuggles from my one-year-old, and every night I make it a point to go downstairs and have an uninterrupted dinner with my family before logging back on to check-in.”
-Shelley Green, Director of Client Services

How have you been supported by your team while working from home?

“After a month or two of working from home, I started playdates with a coworker who had a girl my daughter’s age. The result was our own mini daycare, where the two of us would trade off watching the kids while the other was on a call. It also created a space where our kids could actually practice kid things – like sharing and learning not to hit and running around outside and everything else that doesn’t involve a screen. They’re both back at daycare now, and a huge thank you to Koddi for reimbursing child care costs.”
-Caroline Bailey, Client Services Manager

“The support from Koddi has been incredible! My 8-year-old was attending second grade through remote learning and was doing so via a laptop that was on its last leg until Koddi provided an extremely generous education reimbursement. We were able to purchase an updated computer for him to attend classes without worrying if it would crash at any minute. So thankful for everything Koddi has done for us during these crazy times!”
-Shelley Green, Director of Client Services

What are some things you’ve learned about parenting while WFH?

“How to increase concentration, sharpen my motor skills to go on mute, and keep on participating in calls while there is total chaos behind me. I am also learning how to accept that everything cannot be perfect and that I am already a ‘mama hero’ to be able to handle what I handle.”
-Aurélia Guermont, Associate Director of Strategic Accounts and Client Services

“The lessons of letting go and not worrying too much are very important. Sometimes it’s okay that my 3-year-old watches TV for 4 hours straight or is mostly naked in the background smashing bananas on the floor while I am on a video call. It’s no biggie if I have a meeting at lunchtime and she decides to eat Skittles and maple syrup for lunch on her own. She’s going to turn out just fine.”
-Isis Phillips, Client Services Manager

What advice would you share with a parent who’s transitioning to a remote job for the first time?

“Get ready for interruptions but embrace them. Set clear boundaries so that the interruptions don’t occur during times when you need to be hyper-focused. Have a dedicated space that is quiet and away from the commotion. This might now be your workplace, but it’s also the place where your kids will laugh and play, and don’t take that away from them. Try to set your schedule according to best accommodate your family. For example, I try to leave 3:30-4:00 PM open every day because that’s when my kids get home from school and they can’t wait to burst in and tell me all about it.”
-Matt Myller, Technical Recruiter

“Try to maintain a beginning and end to your day. If your kids are going to daycare/school, it can be drop off/pick up. If they are still at home, it could be a walk around the block. Whatever it is, it is helpful to have time before work when you are only focused on the kids and time when you officially sign off and focus on them again and leave the remaining work for the next day.”
-Leah Simpson, Senior Manager of Client Services

What’s been one of your most memorable moments from working at home?

“My first baby was born last January. Because of the timing of Covid, I have been able to spend way more time watching him grow in his first year than I would have been able to under normal circumstances. It has been especially nice to be able to take mini-breaks throughout the day to play with him. It is a built-in recharge and something for which I am very grateful.”
-Brent Greubel, Client Services Manager

“Any conference call with a kid is bound to be more interesting than one without. I think the oddest experience I had was when my daughter, very much without warning, bit the back of my elbow as I was presenting a slide. I had a bruise for like two weeks (she gave it her all)! And to be honest, I’m still not entirely sure why she did it. Boredom?”
-Caroline Bailey, Client Services Manager

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Koddi is proudly a people-first company and offers programs and benefits that support all employees, including parents, caregivers, and their families. Follow us on Instagram for a glimpse into life at Koddi, and see our open positions on our Careers page.