Posted by Mary Ann Kelly
Do your parents understand what you do for a living? Not really? According to LinkedIn, they’re in good company. Researchers discovered that 1 in 3 parents don’t understand their child’s job. So 4 years ago, the idea of bringing your parents to work was born.
The annual event, called Bring In Your Parents Day, is picking up steam. In 2013, over 15,000 workers from 30 companies in 16 countries brought someone to their offices! Pretty cool, especially with all the recent attention that ageism in advertising has gotten. Let’s inspire diversity in any and all ways we can!
LinkedIn has positioned this day as a way to thank your parents but it has also served to educate parents, not only on what their kids do but on who they work with, the environment, company culture, etc. When parents see their children thrive in the workplace, they can appreciate and support the career choice. Decisions about work/life balance, travel and time off become easier to comprehend once they’ve been introduced to deadlines, deliverables and meetings. I mean, at least in my fantasies, I can feel less guilty about the way I prioritize work and family commitments.
“Employees who feel valued and happy are more productive, and the support they receive from parents can play an important part in job satisfaction. That’s difficult when many parents don’t know enough about what their child does, or if they are giving the right advice,” says LinkedIn.
This year the event will take place on Friday, November 4, 2016. If your parent can’t join you at work, you can still be part of the day by planning a video chat or even taking a coffee break and sharing photos with #BIYP. If you want to get involved click here.
This is a great video done in 2015 showcasing parents visiting an ad agency.
