Pandemic Prompts Rockwell Automation Employees to Form Parents and Caretakers Support Group

In January, Rockwell Automation employees launched a new Parents and Caretakers employee resource group to support employees who were balancing working long hours, parenting, helping with remote schooling, and potentially caring for older adults or other loved ones.

“So many parents were dealing with the new challenges of trying to work from home with children, and it was becoming evident on meetings,” says Dave Wagner, a solutions consultant and caretaker for his child, who has a disability, and his elderly grandfather. “On the caretaker side as well, many were trying to deal with situations with loved ones in nursing homes, or in my case, trying to bring my elderly family to live with me.”

A 2020 McKinsey study about women in the workplace, said one in three mothers were reducing pay, hours or deciding to leave the workforce because of the pandemic.

“The merging of work life and family life highlighted the need for community and support,” said Adam Milazzotto, regional partner enablement manager with Rockwell and one of the founding members of the employee resource group. “This all started as an opportunity to bring together like-minded individuals from across the organization and create a community of support and resources.”

Within months, the group grew to more than 250 members.

“This has been an eye-opening experience in a lot of ways,” Wagner said. 

Hear from members of the Parents and Caretakers employee resource group in this video which was created in honor of National Parents’ Day on July 25.