Celebrating All Things Mom!

This Sunday marks Mother’s Day, the one day out of the year in which we celebrate all things mom! While this of course shouldn’t be the ONLY day we show some appreciation and love to the mothers in our lives, many of us jump on this opportunity to express the gratitude and admiration to the women who do so much for us. In the workplace, celebrating strong and dedicated women is something many employers like to do; however, there are a few things to keep in mind when organizing and executing a workplace, Mother’s Day celebration.

While Mother’s Day is full of joy and love for so many of us, it is important to keep in mind that for others, this day can be challenging and very emotional. Some may be missing a mother who has passed away, some women wish to be mothers but for whatever reason are not, some mothers may be mourning the loss of a child. Be mindful and respectful of those mothers and employees who may be struggling this Mother’s Day, and try to coordinate activities that will ideally not make anyone feel left out. Consider a few of these options for celebrating the moms within your company:

• Have a Mother’s Day potluck – ideally one in which moms don’t have to do any work!
• Order food in and have a luncheon or breakfast catered
• Give each mother a small gift (e.g., a coffee card, chocolates, a rose, etc.), but make sure that gift giving isn’t extravagant to the point that some women are made to feel left out
• Consider flexibility with scheduling if a mother wants to celebrate with their family (e.g., many schools invite mothers for “tea parties” or other activities)
• Acknowledge women who may be struggling this Mother’s Day; let them know they are not invisible and offer a small gift or note to attempt to make a hard day manageable

Being a mother in any capacity is hard work, and with nearly 60 million working moms in today’s workforce, employers have a responsibility to try to create a culture that supports working mothers (and parents in general). At the end of the day, let your employees (particularly on this day, working mothers) know that their hard work is valued and appreciated year-round, in addition to celebrating the hard work moms do on this special day.