Parents to teachers, students to employees, it’s no secret that COVID-19 profoundly impacted EVERYONE’S way of life.

From social distancing to virtual learning, individuals were swiftly expected to adapt to the “new normal”- and without much prior warning.

There is one demographic in particular, however, that faced a highly distinctive set of challenges. When the news of the COVID-19 pandemic overtook American society in early Spring of 2020, small business owners quickly began scrambling to find a way to keep themselves, their employees, and their businesses afloat.

Needless to say, we here at Latched Mama were no exception. As a company run primarily by mothers, the shock of suddenly having to juggle work and parenthood without the support of schools, daycares, and other care providers shook the company to its core.

However, thanks to Founder Melissa Wirt, Latched Mama already had many pro-parent company-wide policies in place, making this sudden transition exponentially smoother. Plus, due to some strategic pivoting amidst the pandemic, these progressive work policies are beginning to catch the attention of national media outlets- and for a good reason!

Recently, Latched Mama had the honor of being featured as a part of Business Insider‘s “Secret To Success” series, which chronicles leadership tips from prominent business owners from across the country.

In this article, Wirt discusses how she created new policies while adjusting old ones to help her employees navigate the pandemic and feel supported in the process.

These policies include 100 days of paid maternity leave, allowing employees to work from home indefinitely OR even inviting parents to bring their children to work with them. Furthermore, Wirt also found herself temporarily employing spouses who were suddenly left jobless in the wake of the pandemic.

“My philosophy as a business owner is that I want somebody to be able to bring their entire self to work,” Wirt told Business Insider. “And it’s really hard to bring your entire self when people don’t realize that your entire self also includes your children.”

To read the Business Insider article, please click here.