People story | August 2024 | Read time: 2min
Support as a caregiver and professional
For me, being a parent to a child with complex disabilities is a tricky thing to navigate on its own. Throw in a fulltime career, and things can get complicated fast. But coming to Deloitte showed me that I can do both, with the support of my colleagues and a people-focused culture.
I gave birth to my son while working for a previous employer. Six weeks postpartum, he was diagnosed with a rare genetic syndrome, news my family didn’t know how to navigate. This came on the heels of my dad’s serious car accident, which put me in a new, unexpected caretaker role, at the same time navigating my own journey as a first-time mom. When I returned to work, the reality hit hard. I didn’t know how to cope and was unknowingly dealing with postpartum anxiety and PTSD from these traumatic events. Balancing my role as a new mom, caregiver, and professional felt overwhelming, and I was purely in survival mode. That rollercoaster of a year was a wake-up call, making me realize that I needed to find a balance between my family and my career.
During this time, I heard from several of my former colleagues who had gone to work at Deloitte and spoke highly of their experiences. The day I decided to join Deloitte, I knew it was the right choice for me thanks to their focus on well-being. When I joined, it was immediately clear to me that I could feel like a high-performing employee, pursue my career goals and development, and keep my family a priority.
At Deloitte, I feel that I can be my authentic self. This means that I can have an open dialogue with my co-workers about my experiences instead of hiding them, and when I do, I’m met with empathy and support. My leaders and teammates are extremely supportive and flexible when I need to step away for my child’s appointments, emergencies, or hospitalizations. I’ve seen people lead by example – I feel that my team understands that I am human and have a family and needs outside of the workplace.
When it comes to my son’s healthcare, I also have felt very supported. As a parent of a child with special needs, I can tell you that the day-to-day life of multiple complex diagnoses can be hard. It’s even harder for me when I feel like I can’t get my child the care or supplies that they desperately need. That is why I’m so grateful for Deloitte’s incredible benefits team - whenever I have issues or need to resolve anything with insurance, they’re always willing to help. Having worked in places where that support didn’t exist, I can tell you it’s a game changer for me– it helps allow me to clear the stress (financial and emotional) from my mind and focus on my work and being the best mom I can be.
I feel that, as a working mother and caretaker, I’m not expected to pretend that I don’t have children or obligations outside of my role and responsibilities at work. I feel that I’m trusted to balance them in a way that works best for me and my team. This makes me feel valued and accepted for all the roles I play in the office and at home.
