Don’t “Leave It at the Door”: a real-life example of BIGGBY® COFFEE’s Purpose in action.
By Alisha Beck
Have you ever had something going on in your personal life and felt the need to shield it from your workplace? You could believe that because you had once heard the phrase, “Leave it at the door,” from your boss or another leader throughout your career. This phrase is used as a tactic to encourage employees to suppress the specifics of what is happening outside of work, and unfortunately, this practice may leave them feeling full of shame. It can force employees to feel as if they must hide parts of themselves to feel accepted and could threaten their overall sense of belonging.
What if your workplace could be where you didn’t have to leave your personal life at the door? What if there is a better way to do business? What if there was a way to run a profitable business AND care for the people you employ?
Every person has a fundamental need to have a sense of belonging. The workplace can intentionally create a culture and build practices that support this type of community. BIGGBY® COFFEE has been in the profession of doing just that. BIGGBY® COFFEE’s Purpose is to support you in building a life you love. I have seen that purpose in action in so many ways throughout the years, and most recently, I witnessed it when I needed it the most.
In January 2021, my husband and I added our daughter to our family. She was our first child, and we were thrilled to become parents and start this new chapter. I utilized parts of our time off policy to take three months off for my maternity leave. While on maternity leave, I was struck with an overwhelming sense of uncertainty. Not only was I struggling with postpartum anxiety, but I was also coming to the realization that my workload was going to have to adjust, and I was no longer going to be able to work as many hours nor take on as many challenging projects as I had pre-baby. Everything, both inside and outside of work, was going to need to change. For eight years, I worked for BIGGBY® COFFEE and had been able to give a vast amount of attention to my job and the work I did for the organization. I knew it would take a while to get back to that amount of output after returning from my leave.
The total number of women who have left the labor force since the start of the pandemic reached over 2.3 million in January of 2021, leaving women’s labor force participation rate — the percent of adult women who are either working or looking for work — at 57.0%. Before the pandemic, women’s labor force participation rate had not been this low since 1988, according to a National Women’s Law Center analysis from January 2021. As I prepared for my return to work, I talked with my boss about my fears and concerns. We were still in the thick of COVID, and vaccines had just rolled out. I did not feel comfortable having my daughter in Daycare just yet. Sharing these concerns felt like one of the most vulnerable moments of my life, and I thankfully was greeted with love, trust, understanding, and support. We were going to figure this new normal out together. I was not alone.
Those first few months back were exceptionally difficult. The doctor’s visits alone required me to take time off work and pulled me away from work that I was so eager to return to. Our daughter was not sleeping through the night for the first six months, so I was not getting anywhere near the amount of sleep required to function. I was getting overwhelmed much quicker and concentrating on anything for more than a few minutes took all the energy I had. We eventually chose to enroll her in Daycare. However, due to COVID-led closures and my daughter catching every daycare bug in the book, I was frequently caught without childcare in her first year. I was very thankful my boss and I had talked about a gradual increase in responsibilities. I felt no pressure to take on more than I could handle. I was also surrounded by a fantastic team that extended so much grace my way and was there to help support me as well.
Here I am, a year after returning to work. I feel even more connected with my team and the work I do for the company. I am able bring my whole self to work each day without having to put on an act or hide aspects of who I am. I have re-established a full workload, my mental health has improved, and I am happy. It is no secret that businesses are historically known to shame working moms, but BIGGBY® COFFEE supported me during this monumental life transition and never once made me feel ashamed or like a burden. I was able to return to the workforce and continue my journey of building a life I love in my career and as a mother.
