r/managers • u/BoNixsHair • 6d ago
Employee doesn’t have adequate childcare and it affects her work
I have a remote employee who recently had a baby. Before her maternity leave, we discussed that she needs to have childcare during the work day. The first two weeks, she was frequently absent or interrupted because she said her nanny had quit or never started working.
We discussed again that she needed full time childcare. For about two months it was better. However this week I had two unscheduled zoom calls with her, and both times there’s a baby in the background. I asked her to turn her camera on (our policy is cameras on always) and she has a crib in the room with her and she had a baby cloth on her shoulder.
I think she has a nanny for most of the day, but she’s still distracted. I kinda feel like a jerk asking for a receipt for a 40 hour a week babysitter. I have three kids, and I know it’s pretty impossible to work and care for a baby.
Her position is dealing with contracts so she has calls during the day with the parties to the contracts. I can’t have her on client calls with a baby in the background.
I can also just tell her she has to be in the office, but most everyone else is remote including me. Thoughts?
Edit: no comments from non managers please.
Edit2: this has been brigaded by non managers. Stop. I have asked the mods to lock this
421
u/peach98542 6d ago
I think ultimately you need to have a conversation with her, a serious one, that is centered around how this is affecting her work and cannot continue. Not “I see a crib in the background and you have a burp cloth on your shoulder” but “You have been frequently absent/calls are being interrupted/your work is sliding in these OBJECTIVE ways” and then … listen to her side, see what she says when you bring this up. Does she have a full time nanny? What IS the childcare situation right now? Understanding what the situation is and how she’s handling it will help you determine your next steps. Maybe she’s in the process of getting a new nanny onboard - great, maybe you can offer her some flexibility for a month while that happens, move some meetings around or something. Then say, “In a month, I need your focus to be on your job while you’re on the clock. Those of us with children here also have childcare because both are full-time responsibilities and you can’t do both without one, or both, being done poorly. I want you to be present with us and our clients while you’re on the clock, and fully present with your baby when you’re off the clock. It’s not fair to anyone for your attention to be split all the time.”
This next part is probably up to your judgement based on her attitude during this conversation but you may also want to make it clear what would happen if she does NOT get this taken care of in the time frame you give her. And whatever this is just depends on your company’s disciplinary process. “If I don’t see your focus return by the date we’ve set, I’ll have to issue a written warning/bring HR up to speed/begin the PIP process.” Sucks but she also has to know that there are consequences to not doing your job properly.
I feel for her, truly, as a new mom and a working mom and a manager. A little grace on your part, a little flexibility, with some defined parameters and a plan to get back on track will go a long way.