Alfa Values Family
It’s been said that in today’s modern society, parents are expected to work like they don’t have kids and parent like they don’t have a job. If this were true, you can see the sort of friction a mom or dad would experience at both home and work. The work-life balance can feel impossible for some, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Family is one of Alfa’s Core 4 values, along with faith, community, and integrity. One of the ways Alfa® proves they value family is the support given to working parents.
A few things Alfa offers that can be convenient for parents:
- Daycare on campus
- On-site gym
- Multiple mother’s rooms
- Dependent Care Flexible Spending accounts
- Section 529 College Savings plans
Daycare on campus
There’s a peace of mind you get from having your children near you, even when you’re working, and that’s why so many people love that Alfa’s home office has a daycare on campus. Alfa Childcare and Development Center, affectionately nicknamed “Little Alfa,” provides quality childcare and education for the little babies, starting at 6 weeks old, all the way up to preschoolers up to age 6 years old. While payment for the daycare is not included with your employment, you can sign up for payments to be automatically taken out of your paycheck, which is convenient! Also, if Alfa’s home office is open, Little Alfa is open, too, because it follows the same holiday schedule, so parents never have to worry about having to miss work because daycare is closed.
On-site gym
Prioritizing your health is hard to do when you’re taking care of little ones, but having access to a gym at your workplace really helps! Employees who opt-in for the gym benefit have access to a cardio room, weight room and showers! It’s amazing what a quick go on the elliptical can do for you!
Mother’s rooms
The mother’s rooms, also called lactation lounges, are accessible to nursing mothers and provide comfortable and private stations for pumping, and a fridge for storing milk and pump parts. There are a few of these on campus so you don’t have to make a long trek to get to one.
Dependent care flexible spending accounts & 529 College Savings Plans
Regardless of whether an employee sends their child to Alfa daycare, all employees can have a dependent care FSA. This allows you to pay for childcare with pre-tax funds, per the terms of the benefit.
You can even set up a college savings plan and enjoy the ease of having it withdrawn from your paycheck.
Working for a family-friendly company can make all the difference – just ask some of the moms working at Alfa!
Cameron Morgan, director of digital engagement, is one of many who have put multiple children through Little Alfa. She says, “I often tell people I am not sure what I would have done without Little Alfa. All three of my girls have been there, and it always gave me comfort knowing they were so close. I loved to go over and rock them when they were babies, bring them to “Big Alfa” for lunch and get to participate in Easter egg hunts, July 4th parades and all the fun activities in between. After having a child or two there for the past 12 years, I’m not sure how I will feel when the last one starts big school soon and is no longer right there. It has been a huge blessing to me as a working mother and the convenience of it made it much more manageable for me.”
Kaelin Lockhart, a business innovation analyst, recently came back to work after her maternity leave. “Alfa means it when they say they value family. As a working mom of two, I know my kids are safe and well-taken care of while at Little Alfa, and I can even utilize Alfa’s lactation lounges for privacy and comfort while breastfeeding my youngest.” She shares, “To top it off, Alfa’s full-access gym gives me the opportunity to exercise during lunch breaks or at the end of the day. I can say with certainty that Alfa helps me be my best self for both my family and my coworkers!”
Every working mom knows transitioning back to work after maternity leave can be a challenging time. Kayla Deal, a supervisor of the business innovation analysts, reflects, “I’ll never forget going back to work after having my first baby and that feeling of dropping him off with people I did not know and having to get back into the swing of everything at work. I quickly realized how amazing the teachers were and how much they cared for my baby. I love having my kids next door and getting to go over when they are sick, watch their parades and sometimes bring them over to Alfa with me to eat breakfast or lunch in the cafeteria.”
Britni, a business innovation analyst, agrees. She says, “Alfa has provided great amenities like lactation lounges and a gym to me after returning to work, but my favorite thing I have been provided is support. I have two children, eighteen months apart, and I honestly never know what each day holds. Anytime I’ve had to be out with my children unexpectedly, my boss and coworkers have always been so understanding and offered to help me in any way possible.”
Some departments offer flexible scheduling, whether it is working from home or flexibility with hours, so it helps allow parents to participate in their kids’ activities. Can working parents have it all? Maybe or maybe not, but it sure helps when your employer is rooting for you!