* my working day may not be your working day
This statement, embedded in Courtney Bolton Ph.D ‘s email signature, is a very important reminder that “remote-first” can be a difficult balancing act for many in the workforce today.
While more tech companies are opting for an indefinite remote office structure, that has brought additional strain on women, parents, and caregivers in the workforce.
That has caused as many as three million mothers to leave the workforce in 2020, often citing lack of childcare and work-life balance as key stressors.
That makes sense to Bolton, a psychologist and founder of Nashville-based Veer Clinic. She told Hypepotamus that working parents clock 50 to 60 hours on “parenting duties” each week on top of work, but that number can skyrocket if a child struggles with depression, anxiety, or other mental health concerns.
Veer is teaming up with Boulo Solutions, a Birmingham-based candidate platform helping working mothers and caregivers get back in the workplace with flexible opportunities. Together, the two female-founded and Southeast-based startups are dedicated to bringing mental health support to parents navigating the new remote, hybrid, global workplace.
Veer is a platform designed to make a pediatric behavioral health assessment, early interventions, and parenting support a guaranteed, on-demand benefit for working parents. The team is made up of care navigators and clinicians who help parents “recognize, identify and get support” for their kids.
The partnership is designed to help address the ever-growing pain point around childcare that parents feel when searching for a new job. Working with Boulo will help bring family benefits and mental health services to parents navigating the jump back into the workforce or those looking for more flexible opportunities going into 2022.
The partnership, Boulo founder Delphine Carter said, is about “creating a playing field in the office that accepts and supports parents.”
It is also about re-imaging the definition of a flexible workplace, recognizing that parenting in a post-pandemic world might require different scheduling options.
“Right now, corporations are looking for ways to support parents, keep them in the workplace, and keep them from burning out,” added Bolton.“Offering this support to parents allows them to be more focused and productive at work, providing a compelling overall net benefit to families and the companies who employ them.”
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Feature Photo by Vitolda Klein on Unsplash
