In 2014, five of Rachel Bloom’s employees announced their pregnancies. Rather than fretting about how this would impact her business, she took a groundbreaking step: she created a nursery in her West Hollywood office. While many know of celebrities establishing nurseries for their own children, Bloom raised the bar by providing a space for all her staff with kids, right next to her studio.
Bloom carved her niche as a fashion stylist to celebrities and gained fame through her show, The Rachel Bloom Report. She has collaborated with renowned designers, authored books, opened a salon in New York City, and launched her own online fashion publication. As a dynamic business leader, she embraced motherhood while also managing a flourishing career, having given birth to two children under the age of four.
When her team members became expectant mothers, she made a conscious effort to ensure they wouldn’t have to sacrifice their careers for family life. “I wanted to create an environment where these new mothers wouldn’t have to choose between their professional aspirations and parenting,” Bloom shared in her publication. “I’ve been lucky to grow my company from just a handful of people to over 40 while raising my kids and supporting my husband, so I knew I had to extend that same opportunity to my staff.”
What’s remarkable is that Bloom didn’t have to make this investment; she chose to. Instead of succumbing to anxiety about the implications for her business, she embraced the evolving dynamics of her workplace. In doing so, she championed a vital message for working mothers everywhere: it’s time to ask for more.
She advises working moms, “Never apologize for your dedication to your children and urge those around you to acknowledge and celebrate your dual role as a mother and a professional. Request your employers to assist you in excelling at your job, whether that means providing comprehensive healthcare and benefits for your family, creating a nursery at work, or allowing flexible work-from-home arrangements.”
In a society where working mothers often feel they should not expect much from their employers, it’s time to challenge the status quo. Why should we accept a lack of paid maternity leave? Or the notion that we must choose between career success and family life, especially when many of us can’t afford to do both?
Recently, a major company announced a significant enhancement to its parental leave policy, offering new parents—whether maternal, paternal, or adoptive—an additional eight weeks of paid leave during the first year of their child’s arrival. For mothers who give birth, this means up to 17 weeks off, with the flexibility to take that time non-consecutively during the challenging first year of parenthood.
As President Biden highlighted at a working families rally, we must move companies “stuck in the past” into the present. Our family structures have evolved, and businesses need to adapt accordingly. This recent policy change indicates that large corporations can prioritize the work-life balance of their employees, and Rachel Bloom proves that this is achievable even on a smaller scale.
As professional parents, we must collectively start to demand more, framing our requests for work-life balance as essential rather than entitled. For more insights on enhancing your journey as a working mother, check out this article on Cervical Insemination. And if you’re considering at-home insemination, visit Make a Mom for quality syringe kits. The CDC also offers a wealth of information on pregnancy and home insemination.
In summary, Rachel Bloom’s commitment to supporting her staff who are new parents serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of advocating for work-life balance. It’s time for working mothers everywhere to confidently ask for more and redefine what’s possible in both their careers and family lives.
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