Mother’s Day is an opportunity for companies to acknowledge moms who are both working and caring for children. About half of the women in the U.S. workforce are mothers, and many have younger children. In 2020, 71% of women with children age 18 or younger worked or looked for work.¹
Mothers often dedicate significant time to their jobs. Over 80% of employed mothers with children aged six to 17 worked full time, at least 30 hours a week.⁴ So, how can businesses show their appreciation, especially in a hybrid office where some people work from home? Here’s how to celebrate Mother’s Day at work this year.
How to Celebrate Mother’s Day at Work
Between Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, moms receive plenty of chocolate and flowers – not a bad thing! To take things up a notch, though, we recommend thinking outside of the box and individualizing your gift to working mothers. Companies can host events or provide experiences for employees instead of offering generic gifts that mothers have potentially received for years.
Host a Family-Friendly Event
A picnic or a game day at the park is a great way to appreciate moms and let them spend time with their families. Since Mother’s Day is always on the second Sunday in May, companies could host a family event the Saturday before and enjoy a spring day at the park.
Provide yard games, prizes, and food, and inform employees in advance so at-home and in-office employees can schedule accordingly. What mom wouldn’t appreciate a weekend with family and catered food? You could also take your employees out to dinner or a movie, though it could get pricey if everyone brings their families, so decide what your budget will allow.
Send Everyone a Gift Card
In a hybrid office where people split time between working in the office and working from home, you may not be able to get everyone together for an event. Instead, send your employees a thoughtful gift so the work-from-home moms don’t feel slighted.
Gift cards are a great way to provide all of your employees with an experience. If you can’t hold an event for hybrid employees and their families, give them a gift card for a theater, dinner, or spa visit – from talking with OfficeTogether’s working moms, we know for a fact a spa day would do the trick. Working mothers spend, on average, 11 hours each week taking care of their kids.³ Give them a fun activity to experience on their own if you can’t get everyone together.
Give Mothers a Day Off
Studies have shown that time spent at work is negatively associated with marital interaction.² To help relieve some of the stress of balancing work and family, give employees a day to relax and be with their families. This is one of the easiest ways for a company to celebrate Mother’s Day and could be an employee favorite.
Send an Email or Write Letters
Write genuine, individualized thank-you letters to the mothers in your company. Help them feel appreciated and recognized for the work they do. It may be easier to send an email to an at-home employee rather than a physical letter. Either way, make it as sincere as possible, calling out specific areas where employees have excelled or benefitted the company.
Decorate the Office
Employees that need to work in person the day after Mother’s Day may appreciate a decorated office. Anything as simple as some flowers or succulents and a banner can help lighten the mood and make employees feel welcome into the office. According to Forbes, workers are more productive and creative in an office with plants and flowers.³ Help your employees feel appreciated and productive while adding some life to the workspace.
Send Out Gift Baskets
Gift baskets are easy to make and, when thoughtfully planned, can be meaningful to employees. Include items like blankets, water bottles, necessary office supplies, games, or desserts. You can hand out gift baskets to in-office employees or mail them to those working at home so that everyone receives the thank-you gift.
Hold a Virtual Celebration
Today’s technology has made it possible to gather virtual employees together; this is not new. A virtual Mother’s Day celebration could include a talent show, slideshow recognition of employees, fun trivia, or other party games. Let employees participate in the planning to make the celebration simple and fun.
When employees split time between working at home and in the office, managers must know their schedules when planning an event. Hybrid office management systems like OfficeTogether help organize and promote virtual or in-person events. Rather than doing the work on your own, let OfficeTogether track when employees are usually in the office, alert employees of upcoming events, and take RSVPs for company parties.
Embrace Flexibility with a Hybrid Office
Hybrid offices are the best solution for working mothers who split their time between working and taking care of their children. When companies allow mothers to work remotely, it gives them the freedom to be where they need to be and work on their own terms.
Working mothers can use desk booking systems to reserve a workspace on days when they come into the office. OfficeTogether is a tool that helps hybrid employees easily book desks and meeting rooms, schedule and RSVP to events, and track team members.
See for yourself! With OfficeTogether, you can empower mothers to work in an environment that best suits their needs.
References
- Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2021, April 21). Employment Characteristics of Families - 2020. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved March 15, 2022, from https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/famee.pdf
- Flood, S. M., & Genadek, K. R. (2015, October 14). Time for Each Other: Work and Family Constraints Among Couples. NCBI. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4712716/
- Forbes. (2019, 1 24). How Your Office Space Impacts Employee Well-Being. Forbes. How Your Office Space Impacts Employee Well-Being
- Pew Research Center. (2014, April 8). How Do Stay-at-Home Mothers and Working Mothers Spend Their Time at Home? Pew Research Center. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2014/04/08/chapter-3-how-do-mothers-spend-their-time-at-home/
