Babies in the Workplace

Because of the community structure that develops with babies-at-work programs, babies feel part of a social community. Many people in companies with baby programs have noticed that babies in these programs tend to be highly social and comfortable with lots of people as they grow older. Babies are very sensitive to social cues, and baby programs give them opportunities to learn lots of different interaction styles and observe regular human interaction at a time when babies are primed to rapidly absorb information about their world. By integrating babies into a social community, baby programs also further a more holistic culture in which adults and children are valued for their individual strengths and contributions.

Because both men and women frequently bond with babies in the workplace and because both fathers and mothers can bring their babies to work, baby programs promote a more balanced view of men and women as being important in children's lives. Because of the personal relationships with the babies that coworkers often develop, baby programs result in an increased awareness of the importance of parenting and of the issues surrounding children's needs.