Technology Spotlight: An Interview with Work & Mother

As part of Beaumont Bailey’s mission to connect founders, innovators, and key players that make up the fabric of our industry, our latest Technology Spotlight series highlights the successes of our incredible members and wider network. In this instalment, we speak with Abbey Donnell, Founder and CEO at Work & Mother.

Tell me a little bit about Work & Mother and your role there…

My background is in marketing and brand strategy. I worked at a small boutique firm in Houston, where my clients spanned the energy, healthcare, non-profit, and real estate sectors, reflecting the diverse Houston landscape. During this time, I was also pursuing my MBA in the evenings, so I was exposed to a wide range of industries and people.

It was a period when many of my colleagues and clients were returning to work after having kids and facing significant challenges. I heard countless stories about inadequate accommodations for new mothers, like being told to pump in glass-walled conference rooms or cramped closets. It didn’t matter whether the company was a large energy firm or a small non-profit; there were no good solutions.

Although I didn’t have kids yet, I knew I wanted to, and I wondered how I would manage in my own open-plan, glass-walled office. This led me to research the legal requirements for employers to provide proper accommodations. I discovered that many employers were struggling to meet these needs, not only to comply with the law but also to support their employees and improve recruitment and retention.

I noticed that commercial real estate was increasingly offering shared space amenities for various needs, so I thought, why not apply this concept to support working mothers? I pitched this idea to Lionstone Investments, a real estate investment firm in Houston and one of my marketing clients. They loved it and agreed to pilot the concept.

We opened our first Work & Mother location in Houston in late 2018. I was pregnant with my first child at the time, so I learned about both the business and motherhood simultaneously. Since then, we’ve been growing and expanding, driven by the need to provide better support for working mothers.

Looking a little closer at the technology, what problem does Work & Mother solve?

Our technology and services are designed to address the needs of working mothers by providing comprehensive support and accommodations. Here’s how we do it:

The Suites

The Work & Mother Suites are similar to other building amenities like gyms, but instead of treadmills, they feature private rooms equipped with breast pumps. These high-end, fully equipped rooms include hospital-grade pumps, milk storage bags, and cleaning and sanitising equipment. These suites meet the legal obligations for employers to provide lactation accommodations by offering a high-quality solution that can be shared among all tenants in a building, ensuring close proximity and convenience.

The W&MHUB

We operate these facilities on behalf of landlords or employers, providing a comprehensive service that goes far beyond the physical suites and includes:

• Tenant or Employee Engagement: We handle all aspects of engagement, from explaining what the suites are and how to use them to finding and accessing them.
• Onboarding and Orientation: We assist employees with setting up for parental leave and returning to work, ensuring they are comfortable and well-informed.
• HR Communication: We manage the lactation accommodation policy for the employee handbook, provide information for recruiting materials, and offer a “mother-friendly workplace” seal to designate that appropriate accommodations are available.

Additional Resources

The W&M HUB of support resources is available to all working parents, regardless of whether they use the suites. This includes:

• Breastfeeding Guide tailored specifically for working parents
• Parental Leave Coaching: Practical advice and information to help parents navigate the complexities of parental leave.
• Mental Health Resources: Access to tools like meditation apps (e.g., Calm) and other resources to support emotional and mental well-being.
• Working Parent Support: Materials specifically tailored to the realities of working parents, helping them manage their responsibilities without added guilt.
• By addressing both the physical and emotional needs of working mothers, we provide a comprehensive solution that enhances the workplace environment and supports employee retention and satisfaction.

What markets do you currently operate in?

We are currently operating in several key markets. In Texas, we have locations in Houston, Austin, and Dallas. Beyond Texas, we have a presence in Boston, New York, the DC and Virginia area, Miami, and Chicago. We also have plans to expand into California soon.

Although we’re not strictly a SaaS company, we operate similarly by providing our services primarily virtually, which allows us to serve any market. While we’re not in London yet, we’ve received significant interest from there. It seems that, despite better leave accommodations in the UK, there is a lack of support for employees returning to work, which is driving the demand for our services. We’re excited about the potential to expand into international markets, like London, in the near future.

What do you find the most challenging about the talent market right now specific to your industry as you grow your team?

Finding the right talent is always the biggest challenge. We take our hiring process very seriously and aim to bring on board individuals who align with our mission. Thankfully, our strong mission attracts high-quality talent who are passionate about what we’re doing. It’s fulfilling to work on something that not only presents a great business opportunity but also generates measurable and positive impacts. We receive incredible testimonials from mothers and users of our products, which serves as powerful motivation.

However, the current challenge in the talent market lies more in building company culture with a dispersed and hybrid/virtual team. It’s about ensuring engagement and proactivity among employees, whether they’re in various markets or working remotely. Creating a cohesive team and fostering positive aspects of our culture across different locations is perhaps the most difficult part of talent management right now.

If you would like to discuss any of the topics raised in this piece or if you need support with your leadership resourcing strategy, please get in touch with Emma Callahan on: emma.callahan@beaumontbailey.com.