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What working parents really need from workplaces | The Way We Work, a TED series

What if we started treating parenting like the real work it is? Podcast host and CEO Angela Garbes details how working families have evolved — and how companies haven’t — and gives insight into what parents really need from their colleagues and workplaces. The Way We Work is a TED original video series where leaders…

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What if we started treating parenting like the real work it is? Podcast host and CEO Angela Garbes details how working families have evolved — and how companies haven’t — and gives insight into what parents really need from their colleagues and workplaces.

The Way We Work is a TED original video series where leaders and thinkers offer practical wisdom and insight into how we can adapt and thrive amid changing workplace conventions. Visit for more! (Made possible with the support of Dropbox)

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59 Comments

  1. VOLTRON

    November 8, 2021 at 4:17 pm

    Lady, get a partner. Stop relying on the government to resolve your personal issues. Stop having kids out of wedlock, and concentrate in preserving the relationship with your partner, and life be easier.

    • Δ.Μ

      November 8, 2021 at 4:51 pm

      What are you? The Sharia police?

    • VOLTRON

      November 8, 2021 at 5:50 pm

      It’s called being a realist, and making yourself accountable. The problem with a lot of people today is that there delusional. Plain, and simple.

    • Δ.Μ

      November 8, 2021 at 5:54 pm

      @VOLTRON
      Muslims…. smh 🤦

  2. 📱 Demetri Panici - Productivity Apps / Minimalism

    November 8, 2021 at 4:19 pm

    It’s hard to find a great work life balance as a parent. If a workplace can help provide the right balance, things will be even better regarding workspace productivity

  3. Senua

    November 8, 2021 at 4:20 pm

    and that´s why i dont want to have kids

    also there are no places hiring so
    yeah
    no thanks

  4. Senua

    November 8, 2021 at 4:20 pm

    and that´s why i dont want to have kids

    also there are no places hiring so
    yeah
    no thanks

    • Friendly Metroid

      November 8, 2021 at 8:41 pm

      An educated population naturally has less children. You’re on par.

  5. Ish

    November 8, 2021 at 4:26 pm

    Heres an idea KEEP UR LEGS CLOSED AND WORK, shut up and work, welcome to a mans life. OR Quit acting like a bich and chasing off your man, maybe youll have TWO working parents, did ya ever think of that. OR JUST SHUT UP AND FILE FOR CHILD SUPPORT

    • Δ.Μ

      November 8, 2021 at 5:41 pm

      Found the Muslim, lol

  6. William McFarlane

    November 8, 2021 at 4:39 pm

    This forgets the number one premise in our society, human life is only to produce profits and human need should never come ahead of profit!!! 🤑

    • bla blup

      November 8, 2021 at 5:30 pm

      And profit now is more important than profit next year 😀

  7. samoht larpak

    November 8, 2021 at 4:48 pm

    You chose to have kids.

    • Δ.Μ

      November 8, 2021 at 4:49 pm

      No you don’t, it’s literally in your DNA, it’s a biological need to have kids

    • GO

      November 8, 2021 at 6:54 pm

      Did you choose to be this ignorant?

  8. Δ.Μ

    November 8, 2021 at 4:48 pm

    All 👏 new 👏parents 👏 need 👏 parental 👏 leave!!

  9. Pedro Vigara

    November 8, 2021 at 5:12 pm

    I too wish to thrive amid this crazy world.

  10. Yamikani Tembo

    November 8, 2021 at 5:25 pm

    We can do much more to support people

  11. Lisa Love Ministry

    November 8, 2021 at 5:25 pm

    1 Corinthians 15👑

  12. JohnTux

    November 8, 2021 at 5:31 pm

    Parental leave is awesome. I want my wife or me to be there for the beginning of the little person we have created. They start their life only once and I value the opportunity to be there. The government picks up most of the expenses, but the work place needs to think of replacement for the duration. Having children is basic human function and should be taken in to account.

  13. moblue 289

    November 8, 2021 at 6:29 pm

    if you have more than two children you deserve no help or empathy.

  14. HexerPsy

    November 8, 2021 at 8:07 pm

    In the Netherlands we got:

    Maternity leave around birth: usually from 6 weeks before due date to 10 weeks after birth (minimum of 16 weeks of leave, even when the child is early), fully paid.
    Paternity leave after birth: 6 weeks paid and if wanted, 5 additional weeks at 70% pay.
    Long term close relative care time: 6 weeks per year. Like when you have a severely sick child, or a dieing parent. Unpaid.
    Short term close relateive care time: 2 weeks per year. These are for sick days for, say a child that cant stay home alone, at 70% pay.
    Child care personal time: 28 weeks of unpaid leave to be spread out at will over the first 8 years of life of your child. You can use these hours for weekly days or hours off, but its unpaid. The benefit? You dont need to renegociate the contract deal.

    All of these leaves are protected by law. You cant be fired because of it, and your boss cant make you come to work during them.

    • walperstyle

      November 10, 2021 at 6:10 pm

      You also don’t have nearly enough wealthy people or choices what to do with your life. You have to ask permission from government, and your nation is just as in debt with a junk currency of debt control.

  15. janne wallace

    November 8, 2021 at 8:08 pm

    I truly felt the tear of a couple of new ones over-putting myself and an infirmed parent into another home in the last 4 months. next to no one helps ppl to do this by, as system..most concretely getting upto this takes more than just being advised (as though a book will be the equate of a boat that is lifted by all tides..nope!!)

  16. ༺ Ryan ℵ Jen ༻

    November 8, 2021 at 8:31 pm

    Brothers and sisters please pray for me and my wife Jennifer, my faith is being shaken and Jennifer has been dealing with witchcraft and tarot readings. Thank you in the name of Jesus amen.

  17. ༺Ryan ༻

    November 8, 2021 at 8:31 pm

    Brothers and sisters please pray for me and my wife Jennifer, my faith is being shaken and Jennifer has been dealing with witchcraft and tarot readings. Thank you in the name of Jesus amen.

  18. ༺Ryan & Jen༻

    November 8, 2021 at 8:31 pm

    Brothers and sisters please pray for me and my wife Jennifer, my faith is being shaken and Jennifer has been dealing with witchcraft and tarot readings. Thank you in the name of Jesus amen.

  19. Hanz Learning Solutions

    November 8, 2021 at 8:41 pm

    More parents are quitting jobs now because it’s not worth tue stress and managing the expenses of childcare and managing them. So workplace need to become more inclusive and flexible to requirements of employees.

    • drophy ghost

      November 8, 2021 at 11:05 pm

      True. It’s only natural that parents are way more stressed, as they now have to handle the home/children + 2 full time jobs instead of just 1. It’s just more work. It would be nice if half-time jobs became more popular, so each parent could work 4-ish hours/day

  20. Hanz Learning Solutions

    November 8, 2021 at 8:41 pm

    More parents are quitting jobs now because it’s not worth the stress and managing the expenses of childcare and managing them. So workplace need to become more inclusive and flexible to requirements of employees.

    • Hanz Learning Solutions

      November 9, 2021 at 7:02 am

      @drophy ghost so true, i know friends who are struggling to manage it all with no help and its sad to see. Companies need to start becoming more aware of these aspects and make real change. The cost of living is going up but salaries are not.

  21. showersofstardust

    November 8, 2021 at 9:07 pm

    We can’t survive or thrive without children who thrive in their childhood to become the next generation of motivated workers. By investing in families you invest in future workers, in my opinion.

    • walperstyle

      November 10, 2021 at 6:12 pm

      Anything the government gives you was first stolen, then leveraged with the central banks creating generational debt and driving up the costs of goods and services… all under the delusion of ‘helping’. I mean, look how well they created ‘the homeless industrial complex’ in California. Don’t listen to these people who make nothing and give everything to government. It won’t end well, you will all starve.

    • showersofstardust

      November 10, 2021 at 6:29 pm

      @walperstyle I don’t understand how that correlates to what I said in my comment, but I definitely would agree that anything the government can offer and provide should be taken with a grain of salt. No group or entity can look out for you best other than yourself, however, when our society depends on businesses or government to provide things like insurance or paid leave to take care of loved ones, we all get backed into a corner. It’s all frustrating no matter the angle.

  22. 0 0

    November 8, 2021 at 10:51 pm

    So much complaining. Thats life!

  23. DivergentMind

    November 9, 2021 at 12:00 am

    I’m a stay at home dad. I love my work. Sometimes I wish I could get a job to make a little money but the truth is, nobody is offering a job that would make it worth it.

    I need to be able to make good money working 3 days a week so I have time to do the rest of the important work for the household that doesn’t pay.

    I need meaningful work. I don’t mind a little monotony, but if it’s all monotony all the time I will get board and leave.

    I need supportive coworkers who help each other. Petty work place politics can get supper toxic and I just don’t have it in me to spend my days with hyper-competitive, backstabbing jerks.

    I need a boss who is a competent leader that I can respect and who has at least decent communication skills.

    Anything short of this is kind of not worth it. I can usually create more value for my family by staying home. It’s not just doing the dishes and raising the kids and folding the laundry. I also grow most our own food, I fix the house when something breaks, I cut wood for heat, I build a lot of our furniture, I make improvements to the property that increase it’s value…

    I’d like to get a job but who is going to offer what I need?

    • DivergentMind

      November 10, 2021 at 10:08 pm

      @walperstyle Woah man, I don’t know who’s kool-aid you’ve been into but it’s maybe time for a fresh point of view. I’m not the brain police, you’re welcome to think however you like and I’m not even going to try to take away the tinfoil hat. But you’re going to have to find some place else to sell crazy, I’m all full up here.

    • walperstyle

      November 11, 2021 at 12:12 am

      @DivergentMind It’s economics. Please read some textbooks by Thomas Sowell.

    • DivergentMind

      November 12, 2021 at 3:22 pm

      @walperstyle I’ve read Thomas Sowell. As well as Heyak and Mises.

      They’re just as bad as the leftists. They both want to play social engineer – one side wants to crush the engine while the other side would cut the steering and breaks.

      Idealists are fucking bonkers. I don’t even care what side they’re on…

      The only reason you think you have it sorted out is because you don’t know enough to know better. Go sell crazy some place else.

    • walperstyle

      November 12, 2021 at 3:43 pm

      @DivergentMind Social Engineer??? They want you to leave people alone, bully. Innovation stems from people having capital, and being free to try things in their garage. Unfortunately, people keep looking to the nanny state to fix society for them. I’d argue that the Chicago boys are against that kind of meddling by a higher power. The government and politicians are a cult of force on others.

  24. Yura Riccio

    November 9, 2021 at 1:00 am

    🙏Дякую✌👍

  25. ben jones

    November 9, 2021 at 2:56 am

    Parents should be paid!!!

    • walperstyle

      November 10, 2021 at 6:13 pm

      Anything the government gives you was first stolen, then leveraged with the central banks creating generational debt and driving up the costs of goods and services… all under the delusion of ‘helping’. I mean, look how well they created ‘the homeless industrial complex’ in California. Don’t listen to these people who make nothing and give everything to government. It won’t end well, you will all starve. When you hand over the decisions to the govenrment, your company goes bankrupt. You need to either create your own business, or become the boss. Your customer matters.

  26. ben jones

    November 9, 2021 at 2:58 am

    My work place is churn and burn.

  27. Julie Hirakami

    November 9, 2021 at 7:23 am

    9

  28. Antonio Usai

    November 9, 2021 at 10:55 am

    The US is gloriously setting its path into being a developing country again. Well done, yanks.

    • Δ.Μ

      November 10, 2021 at 3:59 pm

      Is that irony?

  29. walperstyle

    November 10, 2021 at 6:09 pm

    Thanks to Socialist policy, your jobs and wealth are going away to fund the homeless industrial complex. I bet many of you keep voting for the illusion that the government is going to fix the problem with more laws. GOOD LUCK!!!!!

  30. Ching Flores

    November 11, 2021 at 3:45 am

    Parenting facts.

  31. That Guy

    November 11, 2021 at 9:06 am

    I would hardly call it “progressive” that we now require two parents at home to look after children whilst simaltanuiusly needing multiple sources of income to even sustain that

  32. ItsEvanWilson

    November 12, 2021 at 2:21 pm

    powerful video much needed to be heard for many individuals within these circumstances

  33. cts

    November 14, 2021 at 7:43 am

    US-centric BS calling the “poor black women”-theme.
    Take. Note.: in most if the world, being non white is either normal of non-whites are virtually non existing.
    Makes the whole talk useless to most any people on this planet.

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