Last weekend, something amazing happened.
With my children at their grandfather’s house, I was able to relax which, for me, meant finally catching up on my reading. My stack of magazines had grown pretty high, and I couldn’t wait to dig in. And while some of the information was slightly outdated (including a “breaking” story that Alex Rodriguez might be facing suspension for violating baseball’s anti-drug policy), there were a number of interesting pieces.
One that really stood out was an article examining the latest form of workplace discrimination. This time, the alleged victims were single adults. I put on my skeptic hat and began to read it, fully expecting to scoff at whatever ridiculous claim it was making and conclude that this “discrimination” was just another byproduct of our overly-PC society.
Boy, was I wrong.
I expected to read a bunch of complaints from people who, heaven forbid, occasionally have to stay at work a little later than those of us with real obligations — those who leave the office only to go home and begin our second job as parents. ‘What do they possibly have to complain about?’ I thought, envisioning these carefree souls on their way to happy hour, while I contemplated picking up happy meals.
And therein lies the problem. First of all, the perception many of us have about single people is way off-base. Just because someone doesn’t have children, it doesn’t mean they don’t have other pressing obligations, such as a parent to care for. Second, even if they do lead carefree lives (which we know isn’t the case), what someone does off the clock shouldn’t affect how long he or she is expected to stay at work. It also shouldn’t affect how assignments are doled out and how certain privileges are decided. Unfortunately, oftentimes what should happen and what does happen are two very different things.
The article cited a 2011 survey by the Center for Talent Innovation, which found that 61 percent of women between the ages of 33 and 47 who are child-free believe that colleagues who are parents receive more flexibility at work. Those who don’t have family obligations are being expected — and in some cases, even asked — to pick up the slack, working late nights and weekends, and taking on extra projects.
And it’s not just that. There are companies that allow parents to work from home when schools are cancelled due to bad weather — but expect child-free employees to report to the office. There are employers who give parents first crack at vacation time during the week after Christmas. There are companies where single employees are forced to stay put while the parents are encouraged to go home to get their kids ready for Halloween. And the list goes on.
I know this because I used to be one of those employees who was forced to shoulder a heavier workload to accommodate the needs of my coworker parents, and it was extremely frustrating. I felt like I was being punished for not having a spouse and/or children. When I took off my mom hat and remembered how that felt, I realized how unfair it is to bestow preferential treatment on people who have children. It’s just as unfair as denying parents the opportunity to take on certain assignments or projects simply because they do have children. An individual’s family status should be taken out of the equation — not just because of the legal ramifications, but because it’s the right thing to do.
And there’s the added bonus that equal treatment can help build loyalty, according to Sylvia Ann Hewlett, economist and founding president of the Center for Talent Innovation. “The businesses that adopt policies which support their employees without children will experience more staff loyalty and improved productivity — at the same time, they will be showing that they are forward-thinking and aware of the needs of the growing number of single, childless women on the job,” she said.
Those who fail to do so, on the other hand, will eventually pay the price. Hewlett’s research found that 43 percent of Gen X women and 77 percent of Gen Y women are child-free, meaning this is a demographic that can’t — and shouldn’t be — ignored. Individuals should be judged by the work they do, not their personal choices. Those without kids who put in the same effort as their colleagues deserve the same rights, no matter how jealous we might be of their short magazine stacks.
Share Your Thoughts
You must be logged in to post a comment.