Career Advice

Is it Better to Hire Employees who are Parents or Non-Parents?

Advice Seeker: Dear April,

I'm currently hiring new employees to work in my office and am debating over whether I want to hire parents or non-parents. I don't want to discriminate, but it seems like non-parents would be so much more available and wouldn't be taking sick days to take care of their kids or having to leave early to pick them up from school. But I have interviewed some really great, seemingly reliable candidates who happen to have children. Do you think it's best to hire employees who don't have kids or can parents work out just as well?

Sincerely,

Potential Problems with Parents

April Masini's advice:

Dear Potential Problems with Parents,

You get what you pay for. When you hire a parent, you hire someone with commitments and responsibilities to children. The kids get sick, they have school vacations, they have important after school events, and they have Bar Mitzvahs that require the parents I employ to take time off from work -- or to show up at work, but to be distracted some of the time with their family commitments. On the other hand, I get someone who multi-tasks 24/7, who has a depth of understanding other parents (yes, some of my clients have the same issues and challenges as parents I employ), and who has experience that becomes useful in the office and at work outside the office.

That said, non-parents are often more available to me around the clock when I need them, and they don't feel that they're juggling, so they're often more present when they're working. They've got a different outlook and experience that they bring to my workplace, and frankly, I find it valuable in my line of business to employ both parents and non-parents.