Parenting in the Workplace Institute

At UNCLE Credit Union there are a few additions who do little more than play, eat, and sleep during business hours, yet are charming members and fellow staffers alike. UNCLE is one of a small handful of credit unions offering a “Babies in the Workplace” program. Babies at UNCLE are not in a playroom or daycare center but are “working” side-by-side with their parents at their desk or on the teller line. A baby can come until eight months of age or until the baby is crawling. “It is a great morale boost for everyone. It calms everyone down a little and we all pitch in at one time or another with the babies,” says UNCLE CU President/CEO Jim Ott. “Even members compli-ment the program, and many have told me they enjoy banking with a progressive institution that truly cares about its employees. Having babies at work helps to create a sense of family, allows parents to return to work sooner, helps keep down the cost of hiring temporary employees, and offers a benefit our employees really appreciate,” says Ott. “The amount of time it takes away for employees to care for the child is nominal in terms of the positive of having the employee back. It’s worth the tradeoff.”