0:00:03 > 0:00:08Addison Lee is Britain's biggest minicab firm.
0:00:08 > 0:00:12A £200 million company, which books 25,000 journeys a day.
0:00:12 > 0:00:16Can I take the job number for the booking, please?
0:00:16 > 0:00:18Call us five minutes before the booked time.
0:00:18 > 0:00:20And where were you going, please?
0:00:20 > 0:00:23The world of taxis used to be a bloke's business.
0:00:23 > 0:00:26Traditionally, the minicab driver comes off the road,
0:00:26 > 0:00:29works in the office, they sit smoking fags and talking about football.
0:00:29 > 0:00:33But the arrival of women has created a problem.
0:00:33 > 0:00:34BABY SCREAMS
0:00:36 > 0:00:37Babies.
0:00:37 > 0:00:38Oh, darling.
0:00:38 > 0:00:43These bundles of joy can halt careers in their tracks.
0:00:43 > 0:00:47Childcare now is exorbitantly expensive.
0:00:47 > 0:00:51It's £943 a month.
0:00:51 > 0:00:56So, the company are about to trial a radical American scheme
0:00:56 > 0:00:59that allows babies in the office.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03It would make me feel happier if I could see her more often.
0:01:03 > 0:01:05I'll feel more involved in her life.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08I feel like I'm a part-time mum now.
0:01:08 > 0:01:10It does make me feel a bit sad at times.
0:01:10 > 0:01:15To succeed, eight parents must combine their day job...
0:01:15 > 0:01:17BABY YELPS
0:01:17 > 0:01:18..with being mummy and daddy...
0:01:18 > 0:01:21After all that, you don't want the bottle?
0:01:21 > 0:01:23Nyla, Mummy's going to work now, OK?
0:01:23 > 0:01:24No!
0:01:24 > 0:01:26OK, that's fine.
0:01:26 > 0:01:28That's all done for you. Is there anything else?
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Yes, that's a baby in the background.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33November 97, 97. November 97...
0:01:33 > 0:01:35This isn't going to work, is it?
0:01:35 > 0:01:39..and prove the doubters wrong.
0:01:39 > 0:01:41Children in the workplace. What's there to discuss?
0:01:41 > 0:01:45There's nothing to discuss. They shouldn't be there, should they?
0:01:45 > 0:01:49But can the taxi business and babies start a workplace revolution...
0:01:50 > 0:01:51Yeah!
0:01:51 > 0:01:55It's nice, yeah, it is kind of a hard-sell environment.
0:01:55 > 0:01:57Obviously, I don't want it too airy fairy here.
0:01:57 > 0:02:01..or will this be one journey that all ends in tears?
0:02:01 > 0:02:03BABY CRIES
0:02:03 > 0:02:07Worst-case scenario is it is a complete disaster
0:02:07 > 0:02:11and the babies scream the whole time
0:02:11 > 0:02:13and the business comes to a standstill.
0:02:13 > 0:02:15BABY CRIES
0:02:15 > 0:02:17Ssh!
0:02:19 > 0:02:21Can I have my agenda back, please?
0:02:30 > 0:02:34With 3,500 cars and 5,000 employees,
0:02:34 > 0:02:37Addison Lee is Britain's largest minicab firm.
0:02:37 > 0:02:40No-one likes a cab to be late.
0:02:40 > 0:02:42So in this business, every second counts.
0:02:42 > 0:02:44Time is money.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46Good afternoon. Can I take your number?
0:02:46 > 0:02:48The price will be £11.
0:02:48 > 0:02:50When would you like the car for?
0:02:50 > 0:02:53Historically, it's been a male industry.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56I got this car washed yesterday!
0:02:56 > 0:03:00But for managing director Liam Griffin, times are changing.
0:03:00 > 0:03:03Nearly a third of his office staff are women.
0:03:03 > 0:03:06And they're having families of their own.
0:03:06 > 0:03:07It takes time to replace them,
0:03:07 > 0:03:10it takes time to train up their replacements.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12And ideally, we'll have kept them.
0:03:12 > 0:03:15It's not just the business that suffers.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19Across Britain, parents struggle with the cost of childcare,
0:03:19 > 0:03:23and working mums spend an average of just an hour and 20 minutes a day
0:03:23 > 0:03:26caring for their kids.
0:03:26 > 0:03:28I don't want to work too much
0:03:28 > 0:03:30so that I never get time to spend with the kids.
0:03:30 > 0:03:33'I can be working while they're with me,
0:03:33 > 0:03:36'and I can also be bonding with them at the same time.'
0:03:36 > 0:03:37Mum!
0:03:39 > 0:03:43To solve these problems, Liam's going to do something radical.
0:03:45 > 0:03:50In America, over 170 companies run babies-at-work schemes,
0:03:50 > 0:03:53allowing parents to bring their babies into the office.
0:03:53 > 0:03:59Not in a creche or a nursery, but right next to them at their desks.
0:03:59 > 0:04:02If someone brought this up and mentioned it to you in a pub,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05you'd just go, "What a stupid idea." It's... It is.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08When you initially hear it, you think, "That'll ever work."
0:04:09 > 0:04:11Addison Lee will be the first British company
0:04:11 > 0:04:13to try out this scheme.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15As supportive as I am of this concept,
0:04:15 > 0:04:17if it's not working, we can't carry on.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19We can't be persevere just for the sake of it.
0:04:19 > 0:04:22There's a big risk here, and if it doesn't work in this one day,
0:04:22 > 0:04:26then we will have to, you know, call it a day at that point.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34For Liam, parenting and work is something that's close to his heart.
0:04:36 > 0:04:39My wife has been through a similar scenario.
0:04:39 > 0:04:43She's a teacher, had the children, wanted to come back to work,
0:04:43 > 0:04:44and there's a tear, there's a draw.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48Yes, "I want to go back to work but I don't want to leave my kid?."
0:04:48 > 0:04:50So I've been there. I've seen it first-hand,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53so I can relate to it a lot more now that I've been there.
0:04:53 > 0:04:56So when you put all those in the pot, I think, you know,
0:04:56 > 0:04:59let's give it a go, let's see what we can do for these mothers.
0:04:59 > 0:05:02Liam's head of Human Resources, Claire,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05has been with the company for over five years.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08It will be her job to manage the trial,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11and she's curious about it for her own reasons.
0:05:11 > 0:05:15On a personal level, this experiment is very relevant.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19You know, I'm mid-30s, early 30s, mid-30s...
0:05:19 > 0:05:23Of course, children have crossed my mind. Of course, it is on my radar.
0:05:23 > 0:05:26I definitely want to be a mum, I definitely want children,
0:05:26 > 0:05:27all of those things.
0:05:27 > 0:05:32But have I held back a certain... because of my career?
0:05:32 > 0:05:33Yes. I definitely have.
0:05:33 > 0:05:37I don't feel upset about that. That's the choice I've made.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40But I definitely think that...
0:05:40 > 0:05:43I know if I had a baby, I'd want to come back to work quite soon.
0:05:43 > 0:05:46I'd want to come back after three or four months.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50But not everyone in the office shares the enthusiasm.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54A full-time job at Addison Lee is a full-time job, believe me.
0:05:54 > 0:05:57It's a busy, busy company, and we need to be on the ball all the time,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00otherwise things could go horribly wrong very quickly.
0:06:00 > 0:06:02They'll be at six months coming in,
0:06:02 > 0:06:03screaming on the phone to a client,
0:06:03 > 0:06:06"Yes, sir, we're going to be ten minutes for your parcel,"
0:06:06 > 0:06:08a baby screaming in the background.
0:06:08 > 0:06:12It's a full-time job. Being a mum or a parent is a full-time job.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15End of. It can't work, it just can't work.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20No British company has ever done this before.
0:06:20 > 0:06:24For Liam, this is one of the biggest gambles of his career.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27There's going to be cost implications against this.
0:06:27 > 0:06:30There's going to be, potentially, loss of earnings from this.
0:06:30 > 0:06:31And you worry about the brand.
0:06:31 > 0:06:33We spent a long time building this brand.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36We don't want to damage it just by trying to do something a bit clever.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44Safety is a top priority, so the office is baby-proofed
0:06:44 > 0:06:46from top to bottom
0:06:46 > 0:06:49under the guidance of health-and-safety officers.
0:06:49 > 0:06:52Any of the socket faces that are missing,
0:06:52 > 0:06:54we should have the safety connectors
0:06:54 > 0:06:57and get as much of this clipped back as possible.
0:06:57 > 0:06:59Could we all make a bit of a team effort, just from
0:06:59 > 0:07:02a health-and-safety point of view?
0:07:02 > 0:07:05If there's any bits and pieces that can be grabbed or pulled
0:07:05 > 0:07:07or that babies may be able to pick up,
0:07:07 > 0:07:11if you can get them into your drawers, I'd appreciate it. Thanks.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16Spare office space is transformed into a playroom.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19Amongst the staff, 78 have children under two,
0:07:19 > 0:07:23and ten are currently on maternity leave.
0:07:23 > 0:07:29In total, eight mums and dads have agreed to take part in the trial.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39Look, Tyler.
0:07:39 > 0:07:40'It's just me. Me and Tyler.'
0:07:43 > 0:07:46First-time mum 23-year-old Thelma
0:07:46 > 0:07:48has been with the company for four years.
0:07:51 > 0:07:55She's currently on maternity leave with her nine-week-old son, Tyler.
0:07:57 > 0:08:02Thelma's on her own, and receives £128 a week in maternity pay.
0:08:02 > 0:08:07This scheme could provide her with a financial lifeline.
0:08:09 > 0:08:14My parents, they work full-time, so they don't have the time
0:08:14 > 0:08:19whatsoever to, erm, look after Tyler.
0:08:19 > 0:08:24I could leave him with a childminder, but I can't afford it.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28Since I heard about the project, to be honest, I was just really excited,
0:08:28 > 0:08:31because I knew I wanted to go back to work earlier,
0:08:31 > 0:08:36so I said to myself, "Wow, I can't believe it's actually come about."
0:08:36 > 0:08:39Financially, that will make a big difference to us,
0:08:39 > 0:08:43because I don't want to be on benefits,
0:08:43 > 0:08:46and yeah, I'll be able to pay my rent and just be able to go on holiday
0:08:46 > 0:08:49and do normal things.
0:08:49 > 0:08:53But Thelma's call-centre job is hard enough already,
0:08:53 > 0:08:55let alone with a baby.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58They've got a lot of targets that they need to meet,
0:08:58 > 0:09:01and they're about customers, customers, customers,
0:09:01 > 0:09:08so I can't imagine them willing to risk losing their customers.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17Aida is mum to Amira, and has another child on the way.
0:09:17 > 0:09:20She'd love the scheme to work,
0:09:20 > 0:09:23but is worried about how disruptive babies in the office will be.
0:09:23 > 0:09:25Some of my colleagues do not like kids,
0:09:25 > 0:09:32so it will be a bit hard, and I'm very over-protective of Amira.
0:09:32 > 0:09:34I don't want her to be rejected.
0:09:34 > 0:09:39Because it's not everybody's cup of tea to have children in the office.
0:09:40 > 0:09:43Eight volunteers with their nine babies
0:09:43 > 0:09:46want to prove to Liam this scheme can work.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57At first, the trial will run for just one day.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00If it works, it will be extended for a whole month,
0:10:00 > 0:10:03giving Liam plenty of time to assess
0:10:03 > 0:10:05whether babies can be good for business.
0:10:08 > 0:10:09Hello, Amira!
0:10:09 > 0:10:11Say hello, bubba!
0:10:15 > 0:10:17Good afternoon, Addison Lee. How can I help?
0:10:20 > 0:10:26It's 8am, and the start of the morning shift in the call centre.
0:10:26 > 0:10:28This team handles 25,000 calls a day,
0:10:28 > 0:10:31with call durations strictly monitored.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34Wasted time means wasted money.
0:10:39 > 0:10:41The call centre is where it all happens.
0:10:41 > 0:10:43It's the coalface.
0:10:43 > 0:10:47This has to be a ruthless machine in terms of running it,
0:10:47 > 0:10:49because we get it right so often,
0:10:49 > 0:10:53if we get it wrong once, then our customers don't forgive us.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57Yes, we thought this area, there's a bit more space.
0:10:58 > 0:11:0223-year-old Zara is bringing in her two daughters,
0:11:02 > 0:11:05baby Alina and toddler Nyla.
0:11:05 > 0:11:07You want to come to me?
0:11:07 > 0:11:10Hello, aw. Hello!
0:11:10 > 0:11:12Not bothered, are you?
0:11:16 > 0:11:18They're very chilled.
0:11:18 > 0:11:20They weren't like that in the car.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23We'll put all the mothers in this area. We'll have three mothers here.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27We'll get rid of some of the seats so there's space to play,
0:11:27 > 0:11:30so they're not just sat at a table, really.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32This is quite easy!
0:11:34 > 0:11:35For the last two years,
0:11:35 > 0:11:38single mum Zara has been getting up before 4am
0:11:38 > 0:11:41so she can do the 6am shift and be home to see her daughters
0:11:41 > 0:11:43in the afternoon.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47It's exhausting, and she still feels she doesn't see them enough.
0:11:51 > 0:11:57Every morning, when I leave at 5:20 in the morning, I hate it.
0:11:57 > 0:12:00I just think, "I should be in bed with the kids."
0:12:00 > 0:12:03'When I walk out the door, I just think, "Oh".
0:12:03 > 0:12:06'I just want to rush back home and I just want to hurry up and finish.'
0:12:06 > 0:12:09How cute!
0:12:09 > 0:12:12At two and a half, Nyla is the oldest child
0:12:12 > 0:12:15taking part in the experiment.
0:12:15 > 0:12:16Mum!
0:12:18 > 0:12:21Nyla, Mummy's going to go... Mummy's going to work now, OK?
0:12:21 > 0:12:22Look!
0:12:22 > 0:12:26Yes, you colour and eat your fruits, OK? Good girl.
0:12:26 > 0:12:31Good morning, you're through to Zara. Can I take your phone number, please?
0:12:31 > 0:12:33And going to...?
0:12:33 > 0:12:35Thank you for calling, bye.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38Hey, what's wrong?
0:12:38 > 0:12:41The caller didn't say anything. He heard Alina.
0:12:41 > 0:12:44He just laughed!
0:12:47 > 0:12:50This trial day isn't just for mums.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53Next to arrive is car control manager Paul,
0:12:53 > 0:12:56with his 11-month-old daughter Lyla.
0:12:59 > 0:13:01LYLA CRIES
0:13:02 > 0:13:05Have you got the piggies? Let's get piggies!
0:13:05 > 0:13:07SHE CRIES
0:13:11 > 0:13:13Look at the piggies.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16SHE SCREAMS
0:13:18 > 0:13:20Arms up.
0:13:20 > 0:13:22He's been given step-by-step instructions from Mum
0:13:22 > 0:13:24to keep her baby happy.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31This is Mummy's list of what Daddy should be doing.
0:13:31 > 0:13:358:30, breakfast. Toast and Weetabix. So she can have cow's milk,
0:13:35 > 0:13:37but no sugar.
0:13:37 > 0:13:4012:30, lunch. Various bits and pieces,
0:13:40 > 0:13:45and she can have water any time, always boiled.
0:13:45 > 0:13:51This has to be kept, stapled and all the rest.
0:13:54 > 0:13:5742-year-old Paul has worked at the company for 15 years.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02Baby Lyla was a surprise addition to his family.
0:14:02 > 0:14:04Now, he's keen to bring her to work,
0:14:04 > 0:14:07because he doesn't want to miss out on seeing her grow up.
0:14:07 > 0:14:10Come on, then! Yes!
0:14:10 > 0:14:13Rather than, you know, the nursery care teacher seeing it,
0:14:13 > 0:14:16or Mum seeing it, it will be nice to say,
0:14:16 > 0:14:19"I was there the first time you fell over,
0:14:19 > 0:14:22"you took your first steps," and that kind of situation,
0:14:22 > 0:14:23'so it would be great for me.
0:14:23 > 0:14:28'It would help Mum. I think it would make me very happy.'
0:14:28 > 0:14:31Are you ready for a knife and fork, do you think?
0:14:35 > 0:14:38- Let's get that door for you. - Thank you very much.
0:14:38 > 0:14:39Pleasure.
0:14:39 > 0:14:43One floor up is the finance department.
0:14:43 > 0:14:46On a normal day, it's as quiet as a library.
0:14:46 > 0:14:52And, apart from pricing assistant Monica, staffed entirely by men.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55So who's that? Who's that? Say hello.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58What's that? Look at that.
0:15:04 > 0:15:07Our job is basically attention to detail.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10If we don't get it right, then we'll have a lot of drivers
0:15:10 > 0:15:13contact us the following week, a lot of queries on our side.
0:15:13 > 0:15:16Phones have been off the hook recently,
0:15:16 > 0:15:18so we need to be accurate, and we need to be sure
0:15:18 > 0:15:20that we're paying the drivers correctly
0:15:20 > 0:15:22every week on every single job.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25So, how will 22-month-old Natasia
0:15:25 > 0:15:29affect the office on such an important day?
0:15:29 > 0:15:33You all right, bubs? You're just taking the butter off it?
0:15:33 > 0:15:36- You're supposed to eat all of it, Googla.- Can I have some?
0:15:36 > 0:15:39No, say, "It's mine."
0:15:41 > 0:15:44Monica is eager to expand her family,
0:15:44 > 0:15:48but unless this trial succeeds, she can't afford to.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50'I'd love to have another child,
0:15:50 > 0:15:54'but at the moment, financially, I can't see it working out.'
0:15:54 > 0:15:58Currently, we're spending £4,500 a year on just one child,
0:15:58 > 0:16:01two days a week at nursery.
0:16:01 > 0:16:06'There'd be no way I could find another £4,000, £5,000 a year.'
0:16:06 > 0:16:08I know there's a couple of parents
0:16:08 > 0:16:10that have taken part in the experiment,
0:16:10 > 0:16:12and a couple of parents throughout the business
0:16:12 > 0:16:15that have maybe had one child and are actually holding back
0:16:15 > 0:16:18on having their second till the first one's in school
0:16:18 > 0:16:22because of the costs, and I just think that's a bad state of affairs,
0:16:22 > 0:16:27where you are deciding when you are going to have your family
0:16:27 > 0:16:29not based on when you want your children,
0:16:29 > 0:16:33but when you can afford to have them, and I just think that's a real shame.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35I need someone to do me a favour.
0:16:35 > 0:16:40Googla, be careful, bubs. Erm, who's not doing anything?
0:16:40 > 0:16:43What do you need, Monica?
0:16:43 > 0:16:45Erm, someone put the diaries in for me?
0:16:45 > 0:16:48- Diaries in?- Yeah.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54Right, so they go... And previous week, that's a charge...
0:16:54 > 0:16:56CHILD CRIES
0:16:56 > 0:16:59Do you want a pen? Here.
0:16:59 > 0:17:03- Mine.- There you go.
0:17:03 > 0:17:05Uh, what she writing on? That's fine.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09Just delegated a few things out, it's all right.
0:17:09 > 0:17:10I've put it all together,
0:17:10 > 0:17:13just got to get a couple of emails back
0:17:13 > 0:17:16and I should be ready to go with the vans,
0:17:16 > 0:17:19so...hoping she'll stay like this!
0:17:21 > 0:17:23BABY CRIES
0:17:23 > 0:17:28She's a bit grumpy today, to be honest, she's teething very badly.
0:17:28 > 0:17:33So I hope she will be OK today.
0:17:37 > 0:17:38In customer services,
0:17:38 > 0:17:41Aida arrives with her 22-month-old daughter Amira,
0:17:41 > 0:17:43who's used to a nursery and a set routine.
0:17:43 > 0:17:46'I know it's working in America,'
0:17:46 > 0:17:51and I hope it will be working in here,
0:17:51 > 0:17:54so it can help other mothers to go back to work
0:17:54 > 0:17:58and look after their child at the same time, without high expenses.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02Say hello, baba, say hello...
0:18:02 > 0:18:06- How are we?- Oh, it's been a rush this morning, oh, nightmare.
0:18:06 > 0:18:08So I'm just feeding her because she's hungry now,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11and then hopefully, she'll be in a better mood.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15Oh, dear! You don't want any more?
0:18:15 > 0:18:21'I don't want Amira to see me just as a mother looking after her.'
0:18:21 > 0:18:23I want her to show, you know,
0:18:23 > 0:18:27that you have to work hard to get to where you are.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31So yeah, that would be a good example for Amira as well.
0:18:31 > 0:18:35Blow your nose. Aah.
0:18:35 > 0:18:37THEY LAUGH
0:18:37 > 0:18:39You like to blow kisses?
0:18:42 > 0:18:46THEY LAUGHS
0:18:46 > 0:18:51Bravo! She's so funny!
0:18:54 > 0:18:56We have such a good time at home, I tell you!
0:18:59 > 0:19:01Just processing your account for you.
0:19:04 > 0:19:08Another-high pressure department taking on a new recruit is
0:19:08 > 0:19:10the sales team.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14All of our accounts work on a monthly credit facility,
0:19:14 > 0:19:16so otherwise it's going to be like
0:19:16 > 0:19:19a pay-as-you-go cash or credit card service.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22- Stop bitchin' and get pitchin'. - Stop bitchin' and get pitchin'.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24I don't want to pitch in case the baby starts crying.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26You've all got 25 minutes to get that that to green, yeah?
0:19:26 > 0:19:29The trial has barely begun,
0:19:29 > 0:19:32and the boss of the department already has his doubts.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35The guys are commission-based. They do get a basic as well,
0:19:35 > 0:19:38but, you know, bulk of their wage is commission.
0:19:38 > 0:19:39They'll say,
0:19:39 > 0:19:41"Oh, Tyrone's this and that, he doesn't want the babies here" -
0:19:41 > 0:19:44we don't mind it, but you see their commission figures
0:19:44 > 0:19:47ain't where they should be, you'll see a different side to them,
0:19:47 > 0:19:48I can promise you.
0:19:50 > 0:19:54It's 10am. By now, car control manager Paul is usually
0:19:54 > 0:19:56well into his workload.
0:19:56 > 0:19:58See, she's showing management... you know...
0:19:58 > 0:20:00- Potential.- Absolutely.
0:20:00 > 0:20:02What your dad does in here is pretty much nothing -
0:20:02 > 0:20:05he's got all these other people doing all the work for him,
0:20:05 > 0:20:07and that's why he's called a manager.
0:20:07 > 0:20:09Say we don't want to do no work, do we?
0:20:09 > 0:20:11We want to skive all day. Play with babies.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14Ah, she's drawing on the mouth, excellent, that's what I normally
0:20:14 > 0:20:17- go home with, bit of pen on me. - There we go.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19I wish I'd brought my kid up, I tell ya.
0:20:19 > 0:20:22We've been in 55 minutes,
0:20:22 > 0:20:27and we're now just about to log in.
0:20:27 > 0:20:29I'd like to say I'm about an hour behind now.
0:20:29 > 0:20:32All right, we'll get you in your car.
0:20:32 > 0:20:33There.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37Have you written an e-mail yet?
0:20:37 > 0:20:40- I'll catch up.- Just write one e-mail, just to see,
0:20:40 > 0:20:44because that means you've actually worked with the baby in the office.
0:20:44 > 0:20:47See, I'm logged in. Eventually!
0:20:47 > 0:20:50- See, you've e-mailed the MD, saying, "I've logged in."- Exactly!
0:20:50 > 0:20:51She clocked in herself at half seven,
0:20:51 > 0:20:53so she's looking for a day's pay!
0:20:53 > 0:20:56With your finger, you clocked in with your finger!
0:20:56 > 0:20:58Slow down, slow down, slow down!
0:21:00 > 0:21:04Booked to work a late-morning shift, mum of six Shellon is coming back
0:21:04 > 0:21:07from maternity leave specially to give the trial a go.
0:21:07 > 0:21:10'I've got five boys.
0:21:10 > 0:21:13'Madika is my only girl, so I've got six kids.'
0:21:13 > 0:21:16The older ones, they're in uni and not living at home,
0:21:16 > 0:21:20and I've got a little one, Elijah - he's in full-time school.
0:21:20 > 0:21:21Don't go in class without me.
0:21:21 > 0:21:23She's alarmed by the cost of childcare
0:21:23 > 0:21:28and doesn't want her new baby to keep her off the career ladder.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32'I don't want to be stuck in my house all day, every day.'
0:21:32 > 0:21:37I like that buzz of getting up and going out there
0:21:37 > 0:21:39and, you know, earning my living,
0:21:39 > 0:21:42and I don't think just because I have a baby
0:21:42 > 0:21:46I should be shoved into a corner or locked out of sight.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50Why can't I still mingle and do all the things
0:21:50 > 0:21:52'that I would normally do?'
0:21:52 > 0:21:56You have a good day, you understand? All right, go in.
0:21:56 > 0:21:59OK, thank you. All right.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06Her hopes are high, but after five months off,
0:22:06 > 0:22:09she'll have to hit the ground running.
0:22:09 > 0:22:12This one on the end? Ah, no, give me the end,
0:22:12 > 0:22:14because then I can put the chair here.
0:22:14 > 0:22:17So, that works out perfectly.
0:22:17 > 0:22:20Five minutes, all organised, and she's ready to go.
0:22:20 > 0:22:23So, you can spot the mum with six children!
0:22:23 > 0:22:25Thank you!
0:22:25 > 0:22:27I think I really, actually, could do this.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35No sooner has she arrived than she's in the hot seat.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38Good morning, Addison Lee, Shellon speaking,
0:22:38 > 0:22:41can I take passenger's contact number, please?
0:22:41 > 0:22:44Are you going to be the passenger?
0:22:44 > 0:22:45All right.
0:22:46 > 0:22:49OK, so there's two of you, that's fine.
0:22:49 > 0:22:51And you want to go to the Gatwick Express?
0:22:51 > 0:22:54OK, hold on.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58And that's all booked for 12:45 this afternoon.
0:22:58 > 0:22:59Thanks. Bye-bye.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02OK! Phew, that was nerve-wracking,
0:23:02 > 0:23:05I haven't taken a call in months, but I did it.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09A quote, a price...
0:23:09 > 0:23:14By 10.30am, all parents and babies are at their desks.
0:23:14 > 0:23:18And for the moment at least, all is peaceful.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23- I can't hear no children.- Exactly.
0:23:23 > 0:23:24Marvellous, ain't it?
0:23:24 > 0:23:28- There's loads of them in here. - Later, come see me later.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33It's not right, is it? Look at her, poor little love,
0:23:33 > 0:23:34she needs attention.
0:23:34 > 0:23:37Is that yours? Both of them?
0:23:37 > 0:23:39She's allowed to bring two in?
0:23:39 > 0:23:43That's not allowed, is it? There you are, look!
0:23:43 > 0:23:46I'm going, no, I'm going! See you later.
0:23:49 > 0:23:53We'll go for plan B, which is bottle time.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55Let's go to our bottle.
0:23:55 > 0:23:56It's feeding time for Lila,
0:23:56 > 0:24:01and Paul's management skills are being given a thorough test.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09There we go.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12Oh, after all that, you don't want a bottle?
0:24:16 > 0:24:17Ah, no, we'll go for plan C.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20Could eventually get up to D and E.
0:24:20 > 0:24:21There.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24Do you think you're going to sleep?
0:24:24 > 0:24:26You're not eating bobo?
0:24:26 > 0:24:29Right, well, I'm going to go like this, then, strap you in,
0:24:29 > 0:24:31but we're not going in the car.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37Keep you there, and you'll hide.
0:24:39 > 0:24:40There!
0:24:43 > 0:24:46You can have a nice sleep in there, and hide!
0:24:46 > 0:24:49Have your botbot in peace.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51If I leave her alone for a few minutes,
0:24:51 > 0:24:54she just goes into her own thing and goes to sleep.
0:25:07 > 0:25:09Can I put you back in?
0:25:09 > 0:25:11No, OK. You going to sit on my lap?
0:25:11 > 0:25:13Going to sit on my lap?
0:25:15 > 0:25:16Multi-tasking, you know!
0:25:16 > 0:25:21- But you normally type with one hand anyway.- Yeah!
0:25:21 > 0:25:24For Zara, the early signs are promising.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28What's wrong? Huh?
0:25:28 > 0:25:32OK, baby, you sit on Mummy's lap, OK?
0:25:32 > 0:25:36Good morning, you're through to Zara. Can I take the account number, please?
0:25:41 > 0:25:43OK, is this cash or account?
0:25:43 > 0:25:46OK, can I start by taking your phone number, please?
0:25:46 > 0:25:50OK, so that's a total price of £22.30,
0:25:50 > 0:25:53car's booked for 10am this morning.
0:25:53 > 0:25:56Thank you for calling. Take care, bye.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58She's staying on top of her work,
0:25:58 > 0:26:03and has discovered another benefit of the trial.
0:26:03 > 0:26:04No?
0:26:06 > 0:26:08OK, OK.
0:26:12 > 0:26:14Nyla, are you going come with Mummy?
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Do you want to use my office for breastfeeding?
0:26:17 > 0:26:19I've just put the blinds down, look.
0:26:19 > 0:26:24- Let's go around to the left here. - Oh, right, OK.
0:26:29 > 0:26:32This is a really good thing, I get to breastfeed her during the day,
0:26:32 > 0:26:35instead of her just staying without it.
0:26:35 > 0:26:36So what I'm going to do,
0:26:36 > 0:26:39just breastfeed her and go back on the phones.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46Each of the parents has nominated a buddy to help out in emergencies.
0:26:46 > 0:26:50Paul's job involves external meetings, so it's not long
0:26:50 > 0:26:54before his buddy - head of HR, Claire - is asked to step in.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58When she wakes up, or if she wakes up in the next 20 minutes or so,
0:26:58 > 0:27:00- just take her out. - I'll just get her out of that?
0:27:00 > 0:27:02Yeah, just comfort her for a minute for two.
0:27:02 > 0:27:06I'm hoping that she doesn't maybe need the toilet till you come back.
0:27:06 > 0:27:08Maybe, hoping...
0:27:08 > 0:27:11- Fingers crossed.- How've you got on today, so far, this morning?
0:27:11 > 0:27:14In a way, it's actually pushing you,
0:27:14 > 0:27:16so rather than dilly-dallying with one of the other departments,
0:27:16 > 0:27:18it's, "OK, I need this, can we do this?
0:27:18 > 0:27:21- "How long will this take?" So actually...- Less small talk?
0:27:21 > 0:27:24- Absolutely. Yeah. She's great at the moment.- Off you go, then.
0:27:26 > 0:27:29- I'll be back as quick as I can. Call me if there's any problems.- OK.
0:27:29 > 0:27:31- Thank you.- Right.
0:27:37 > 0:27:38The kids all seem quite chilled,
0:27:38 > 0:27:40don't seem to be suffering from the fact they're here.
0:27:40 > 0:27:45That was my main worry, are we not giving them the right development,
0:27:45 > 0:27:48or, you know, are we being cruel to children by bringing them in?
0:27:48 > 0:27:50But actually, I think they're really excited
0:27:50 > 0:27:53and looking at all the new people and everything that's going on,
0:27:53 > 0:27:56and to be honest, I don't think it's the kids that are bothered -
0:27:56 > 0:27:59it's the adults. As you can see!
0:28:04 > 0:28:08She's going for the vintage. OK. There we are.
0:28:08 > 0:28:11- There we are.- Wow. Look.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16According to experts, babies-at-work schemes can benefit
0:28:16 > 0:28:19both parents and children.
0:28:19 > 0:28:25Certainly, a small amount of time in the work environment for the child
0:28:25 > 0:28:30could well be beneficial in terms of expanding the child's experience.
0:28:30 > 0:28:34Small periods, like a day a week or two or three half days a week,
0:28:34 > 0:28:38would almost certainly not be detrimental to the child.
0:28:38 > 0:28:40She's been all right, hasn't she?
0:28:40 > 0:28:43Quite placid, this one. We don't mind babies if they behave like this!
0:28:46 > 0:28:50That's what our drivers do, drive into lots of things!
0:28:54 > 0:28:57It's late morning, and the staff are not only getting used to
0:28:57 > 0:29:03having the new recruits around some are positively enjoying them.
0:29:04 > 0:29:08Bubbles make them go quiet, there's something about bubbles all kids love.
0:29:08 > 0:29:12That worked perfectly for me today, with the bubbles!
0:29:14 > 0:29:18Everybody was just like amazed about it, like, you know,
0:29:18 > 0:29:20there's something about children,
0:29:20 > 0:29:22they just bring another side out of you, as a person.
0:29:22 > 0:29:27So they were all like, "Wow!," and all like, "Whoa!," you know? So yeah,
0:29:27 > 0:29:30the atmosphere definitely changed in the call centre today. Yeah.
0:29:32 > 0:29:36- Boo!- Go do it. You do it, you do it.
0:29:40 > 0:29:42Hello, Customer Relations.
0:29:42 > 0:29:44- Duh-duh.- Da-da!
0:29:44 > 0:29:50And for Aida, trying to juggle her job with her very active toddler,
0:29:50 > 0:29:53the buddy system brings some much-needed relief.
0:29:55 > 0:29:57It's been a hard day for me,
0:29:57 > 0:30:00so I'm having a rest for half an hour, thank God.
0:30:02 > 0:30:05Hello! I'll put it on mine.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07Ah!
0:30:10 > 0:30:12Now you see we can go...
0:30:13 > 0:30:15I haven't done much work.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18I've probably answered two or three calls,
0:30:18 > 0:30:22which usually we answer about 10, 15 by now.
0:30:22 > 0:30:27'I have done absolutely nothing, but I'm still exhausted!
0:30:27 > 0:30:30'So, yeah, it's great(!)'
0:30:33 > 0:30:35People will be on the phone and we'll be making noise, won't we?
0:30:35 > 0:30:40Where are we going, please? Selfridges on Oxford Circus.
0:30:41 > 0:30:4511:30 brings the first sign of major trouble.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48The queue in the call centre is getting longer and longer,
0:30:48 > 0:30:51and manager Emma has to step in.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54Just to remind you, the objective of this, again,
0:30:54 > 0:30:58is that you're actually doing the job with the babies.
0:30:58 > 0:31:01Therefore, the buddies, that role should be there
0:31:01 > 0:31:04if you need to go for a comfort break, to the toilet,
0:31:04 > 0:31:08or if the baby's crying while you're actually taking a booking.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11That's where the buddy steps in to take the baby off you.
0:31:11 > 0:31:13So, we need to change the dynamic now,
0:31:13 > 0:31:17because I need the buddies to do some work today, yeah?
0:31:17 > 0:31:20You've got a big task ahead of you, because you've got two jobs,
0:31:20 > 0:31:21but I need you two to take bookings.
0:31:21 > 0:31:24- Good luck, round two.- Round two!
0:31:24 > 0:31:26THEY LAUGH
0:31:26 > 0:31:28With over 2,000 calls an hour coming in,
0:31:28 > 0:31:31all workers are closely monitored.
0:31:31 > 0:31:35Emma is keeping an eagle eye on the mums' performance.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40The buddies have taken the role of nannies,
0:31:40 > 0:31:44and therefore the mums are finding it fantastically easy, actually,
0:31:44 > 0:31:46because they're just sitting there
0:31:46 > 0:31:48and somebody's looking after their child.
0:31:48 > 0:31:52So I've just literally had to go out and speak to all the buddies,
0:31:52 > 0:31:55and just gently remind them, really, of the objective,
0:31:55 > 0:31:57so that they all carry on with their job.
0:31:57 > 0:31:59Thank you. And when would you like your car?
0:32:01 > 0:32:04Yes, of course, how can I help?
0:32:04 > 0:32:06Up on the fourth floor, in Customer Services,
0:32:06 > 0:32:11Amira's enthusiasm for the office is beginning to wane.
0:32:12 > 0:32:14AMIRA CRIES
0:32:28 > 0:32:32In this department, each agent has a daily target of 40 calls.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34But Aida is falling way behind,
0:32:34 > 0:32:38and she's worried Amira's affecting her colleagues.
0:32:43 > 0:32:47Her cries are even reaching the far end of the office.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51As you can hear, there's a little bit of noise coming at the moment.
0:32:51 > 0:32:53It did happen while I was on the telephone,
0:32:53 > 0:32:54and the customer mentioned it,
0:32:54 > 0:32:57but again, I just let them know exactly what was going on,
0:32:57 > 0:32:59and they seemed up for it.
0:32:59 > 0:33:01There are sides to the argument that it can work,
0:33:01 > 0:33:03and there are sides that it couldn't work.
0:33:03 > 0:33:05Unfortunately, at the moment, I'm sitting on the fence.
0:33:05 > 0:33:10Mum Aida is fast approaching crisis point.
0:33:10 > 0:33:12Just hearing her screaming makes me really sad now.
0:33:12 > 0:33:14It's the environment, the atmosphere,
0:33:14 > 0:33:17everything is new for her,
0:33:17 > 0:33:19so I think that's why she's behaving that way.
0:33:23 > 0:33:27On the second floor, the finance team are also under pressure.
0:33:29 > 0:33:31On a normal Thursday, by 1pm,
0:33:31 > 0:33:35the team would have processed the wages for all their drivers.
0:33:35 > 0:33:38Monica holds a key role, cross-checking timesheets,
0:33:38 > 0:33:41bonuses and rates.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46You can draw on this side, but not on the other side, OK?
0:33:46 > 0:33:48But with one eye on Natasia,
0:33:48 > 0:33:51it's now 2:30, and she's nowhere near finished.
0:33:51 > 0:33:55- No, no! - OK, sorry, that way around. OK.
0:33:55 > 0:33:57'It's a lot harder, with Tassy being here.'
0:33:57 > 0:33:59I'm not able to... I thought I was a good multitasker,
0:33:59 > 0:34:02but I'm not able to... to do a few things at once,
0:34:02 > 0:34:06especially when I have a nearly two-year-old running around,
0:34:06 > 0:34:09screaming for attention also,
0:34:09 > 0:34:12'and not wanting to be in this environment.
0:34:12 > 0:34:17'So I'm unable to be as efficient in my job as I normally am.'
0:34:17 > 0:34:19You want to go there?
0:34:19 > 0:34:22Monica, I think, has found it difficult,
0:34:22 > 0:34:26certainly with checking process, she's sat there,
0:34:26 > 0:34:28and she's trying to do things like that, but found it difficult.
0:34:28 > 0:34:33She's probably a couple of hours behind on where she'd normally be,
0:34:33 > 0:34:37as well as passing other tasks on to other people.
0:34:39 > 0:34:43There's just three hours before close of business
0:34:43 > 0:34:45to get all 3,500 drivers paid.
0:34:45 > 0:34:49Obviously, we can't do anything about that till that goes, OK?
0:34:49 > 0:34:52So at the moment, what are you guys doing in between?
0:34:52 > 0:34:55- Just checking bank details.- Do you want to start credit-card staff?
0:34:55 > 0:34:57We're just going to undo the gross and that's it.
0:34:57 > 0:35:00- That's going to affect my...- That's going to affect your bad stuff.
0:35:00 > 0:35:05I'm just trying to figure out at the moment who's doing what,
0:35:05 > 0:35:07to get as much done as possible. I think we'll be OK.
0:35:07 > 0:35:11- We've never had a late payment, have we?- Never had a late payment.
0:35:11 > 0:35:13Never had a late payment for a driver.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16Can't start now just because we've got Natasia in the room, can we?
0:35:16 > 0:35:19For the first time in 30 years,
0:35:19 > 0:35:22the drivers' wages may not be paid on time.
0:35:22 > 0:35:28Monica's dreams of saving on childcare and expanding her family
0:35:28 > 0:35:29are fading fast.
0:35:29 > 0:35:32If that was to ideally work out and I could have Natasia with me,
0:35:32 > 0:35:35or, you know, that would probably push us to think
0:35:35 > 0:35:39we could financially survive if we had another child.
0:35:39 > 0:35:43And I love Natasia so much, it just breaks my heart, thinking...
0:35:43 > 0:35:45I couldn't imagine her just being on her own.
0:35:45 > 0:35:49I just feel like, you know, when you feel like you've worked so hard,
0:35:49 > 0:35:53and you continue to work so hard and it just...
0:35:53 > 0:35:56You don't feel like you always...
0:35:56 > 0:35:59You always feel like you're not doing enough, and with Natasia...
0:35:59 > 0:36:01I think that's with every mum,
0:36:01 > 0:36:05I think every mum probably feels the same as I do -
0:36:05 > 0:36:08we always feel like we're not doing enough.
0:36:08 > 0:36:12With perfect timing, Natasia falls asleep.
0:36:12 > 0:36:19Monica gets some peace, and 3,500 drivers get their wages.
0:36:19 > 0:36:21I was very lucky that Natasia's slept
0:36:21 > 0:36:26and given me time to do everything that went wrong,
0:36:26 > 0:36:28given us time to rectify that.
0:36:28 > 0:36:32Yeah, otherwise I would have had to delegate a lot more stuff out,
0:36:32 > 0:36:34and I didn't have to do that.
0:36:35 > 0:36:38Head of HR Claire is keen to have a child,
0:36:38 > 0:36:42and wants the trial to succeed.
0:36:42 > 0:36:44But she's heard the boys in the sales team aren't happy.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47If you're dealing with, you know, big clients,
0:36:47 > 0:36:50and you've got a baby screaming next to you, it's not very professional.
0:36:50 > 0:36:52It all goes down to the customer as well,
0:36:52 > 0:36:54because if they're ringing up to call a taxi,
0:36:54 > 0:36:57- they can still hear the baby screaming.- It's unprofessional.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00They should just have a nursery on the fifth floor.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02Yeah, but today they have done it in the call centre,
0:37:02 > 0:37:05where clients have heard the babies in the background,
0:37:05 > 0:37:08and the agents have explained it and some of the clients have been,
0:37:08 > 0:37:11"Oh, that's really brilliant, what a good idea."
0:37:11 > 0:37:13For one or two days, oh, it's lovely,
0:37:13 > 0:37:16but I reckon for every day of your working day, it could never run.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19On this floor, in our department, in sales, it couldn't work.
0:37:19 > 0:37:20And to be honest, it makes you realise
0:37:20 > 0:37:23how much of a break you have from your kids at home.
0:37:23 > 0:37:25Oh, then you come here and you got it all again.
0:37:25 > 0:37:28Hi there, just phoning to see if you received your account details?
0:37:28 > 0:37:31Because we are quite male - which is fine, you know,
0:37:31 > 0:37:33we have a really good time here -
0:37:33 > 0:37:36I think that it will maybe add a bit of a softer side,
0:37:36 > 0:37:40and I don't know, it will be interesting to see, I think,
0:37:40 > 0:37:42will that change the dynamic a bit?
0:37:44 > 0:37:47Down in the call centre, it's a different story.
0:37:47 > 0:37:52The mums' lives are being transformed for the better.
0:37:52 > 0:37:54My day is going great.
0:37:54 > 0:37:58I've managed to balance motherhood as well as work,
0:37:58 > 0:38:01cos it's hard being cooped up in a house with a newborn, 24/7,
0:38:01 > 0:38:04so it's nice to get out and get some fresh air,
0:38:04 > 0:38:08but in this case, I'm at work, earning some money.
0:38:08 > 0:38:10And I don't feel guilty at all, bringing him into work,
0:38:10 > 0:38:13and I don't feel like I'm taking anything away from him,
0:38:13 > 0:38:15because he's still beside me,
0:38:15 > 0:38:17and I'm still giving him all the attention
0:38:17 > 0:38:19I would have given him at home, and if I was at home,
0:38:19 > 0:38:22I would either be doing some sort of cleaning or, you know, whilst...
0:38:22 > 0:38:25Cos I can't play with him 24/7.
0:38:25 > 0:38:28Listening to other people's opinions, I started to think,
0:38:28 > 0:38:30"Oh, maybe it won't work," but now that I'm here
0:38:30 > 0:38:32and I've experienced it for myself,
0:38:32 > 0:38:35I think it's a great idea, and I think it definitely would work now.
0:38:35 > 0:38:39So what can I say? Babies at work, great idea!
0:38:39 > 0:38:42Hey, I've got a guy... Thank you.
0:38:42 > 0:38:473362. Sorry, I need to get over to chauffeur service,
0:38:47 > 0:38:50I've got a guy who's made a cash booking for the 25th.
0:38:50 > 0:38:53She's met so many different people already.
0:38:53 > 0:38:56I mean, she's been passed around the office,
0:38:56 > 0:38:58she's getting to know new children.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01She's still here with me, so she feels safe.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04She's being fed, she's being changed, she's being stimulated,
0:39:04 > 0:39:08so I don't see any negatives for her.
0:39:08 > 0:39:11I am happy, it feels really good, to be honest,
0:39:11 > 0:39:14it feels really good to be back. And I thought... I kind of forgot,
0:39:14 > 0:39:16cos I was thinking, "Oh, my God,
0:39:16 > 0:39:18"I've been away for almost five months now,"
0:39:18 > 0:39:21but after the initial 10, 15 minutes,
0:39:21 > 0:39:24maybe two, three phone calls, I was right back in the swing of things.
0:39:24 > 0:39:28Aw, pudding, yes!
0:39:28 > 0:39:31But Zara has two babies on her hands,
0:39:31 > 0:39:34and two and a half-year-old Nyla is playing up.
0:39:40 > 0:39:43Nyla's getting bored. She's sitting right there now,
0:39:43 > 0:39:45with a colleague of mine.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48Do you want to come over here? Do you want to come to Mummy? No?
0:39:48 > 0:39:52I feel so bad. Thank you so much, Alisha, thank you.
0:39:52 > 0:39:55That's all right, don't be silly.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59There you go. You don't want to colour no more?
0:40:02 > 0:40:05Are you going to throw it? No?
0:40:21 > 0:40:23Nyla's getting bored.
0:40:23 > 0:40:27I'm thinking maybe I'm better off leaving her at nursery,
0:40:27 > 0:40:29cos she does have fun there.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33She enjoys herself with kids and she learns and she doesn't get bored.
0:40:33 > 0:40:35But I'll stick with Aleena coming with me,
0:40:35 > 0:40:38so I can get a good bonding with my baby.
0:40:38 > 0:40:41When both of them actually woke up and they saw I was with them,
0:40:41 > 0:40:45cos they never do, first thing Aleena said was, "Mummy,"
0:40:45 > 0:40:49like she was so amazed, and I was like, "Aw, yes, it's Mummy!"
0:40:49 > 0:40:52So, yeah, I think it'll be good, and also the whole breastfeeding,
0:40:52 > 0:40:54I just do it while she's with me.
0:40:58 > 0:41:00Do you want some water? Have some water.
0:41:00 > 0:41:03But for one parent, it's all become too much.
0:41:03 > 0:41:05Each mum and dad has been told
0:41:05 > 0:41:08they are free to take their child home at any time.
0:41:08 > 0:41:12At 4:20pm, Aida decides to call it a day.
0:41:14 > 0:41:17I'll be honest with you, I didn't manage to do any work.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21I've literally answered about maybe four calls.
0:41:21 > 0:41:24Amira is a handful, she's very active. Ooh!
0:41:24 > 0:41:26AMIRA CRIES
0:41:38 > 0:41:41Nice?
0:41:41 > 0:41:43OK, let's go.
0:41:43 > 0:41:47I'm happy, actually, to go home!
0:41:47 > 0:41:51With the trial's first resignation, nine babies are now eight.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55- Say bye-bye.- Bye.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58As a relieved Aida heads home,
0:41:58 > 0:42:02the fate of the scheme hangs in the balance.
0:42:07 > 0:42:09- What time are you leaving? - About 5:15.
0:42:09 > 0:42:12I've got a meeting at about five anyway, I'll be back by then.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15- Cool, no worries.- Shall we see how the others are getting on?
0:42:15 > 0:42:17Come on, then.
0:42:17 > 0:42:19HR manager Claire wants the trial to succeed,
0:42:19 > 0:42:23and is hoping to discover it working smoothly.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25We're going to see the other baby.
0:42:27 > 0:42:28- Hi, Peter.- How are you?
0:42:28 > 0:42:30- Good, you?- Very well, thank you.
0:42:30 > 0:42:33We've got an addition today, coming up with me.
0:42:33 > 0:42:34Going to the fourth floor.
0:42:34 > 0:42:36Say, "Hi, Peter." She's a bit unsure.
0:42:36 > 0:42:40- Bye-bye. See you later.- Bye.
0:42:40 > 0:42:46Where are we? We're going to see the other little babies?
0:42:50 > 0:42:54- Say hi.- Look, Tanisha, it's another baby.
0:42:56 > 0:42:59Has it made you broody, with all these babies?
0:42:59 > 0:43:03- Yeah, it has, actually. - OK, I want some now!
0:43:03 > 0:43:06- How've you found it?- I wouldn't say easy, but she's been a delight.
0:43:06 > 0:43:08Yeah, she's been fine.
0:43:08 > 0:43:11It's nearing the end of a unique day.
0:43:11 > 0:43:13Most of the babies may be happy,
0:43:13 > 0:43:17but the thoughts of the managers are turning to the bottom line.
0:43:17 > 0:43:19The call board over there,
0:43:19 > 0:43:23the red and the green dots or circles on there,
0:43:23 > 0:43:26that denotes the amount of calls that they did.
0:43:26 > 0:43:29The green one means that only one person in the team
0:43:29 > 0:43:34did as many or the same amount of calls as what they did yesterday.
0:43:34 > 0:43:37The reds denote that they did less calls then what they did yesterday.
0:43:37 > 0:43:41So that would say to me that, obviously, having the babies in here
0:43:41 > 0:43:45has kind of like slowed down their workload a little bit,
0:43:45 > 0:43:49but we'll see. I might be wrong, but I don't think I am.
0:43:50 > 0:43:55Whilst it's been a positive experience for some parents...
0:43:55 > 0:43:59Right, say bye to Leo. Say, "Bye-bye, Leo, bye."
0:43:59 > 0:44:00Bye, Natasia.
0:44:00 > 0:44:02..others have struggled.
0:44:02 > 0:44:06The drivers' payments only just made it out by the close of day.
0:44:07 > 0:44:09Bye, Liam, bye, guys.
0:44:09 > 0:44:14Good girl, good girl.
0:44:14 > 0:44:16Today has not been as easy as I had planned or envisaged.
0:44:16 > 0:44:19It was great as the novelty factor,
0:44:19 > 0:44:22but then, where I've gone back to my desk
0:44:22 > 0:44:25and saw 14, 16 emails that have come from the last 7 or 8 minutes,
0:44:25 > 0:44:28and I think got to be on top of them, got to be on top of them.
0:44:28 > 0:44:31At no point have I thought, "No really shouldn't have done this."
0:44:31 > 0:44:32- Ready to go?- Are we done?
0:44:32 > 0:44:35In my mind today I was going to go training,
0:44:35 > 0:44:38go training, nice tea in the evening,
0:44:38 > 0:44:41uh, on second thoughts, I'm going to go have an early night,
0:44:41 > 0:44:43nice bath, relax in front of the TV,
0:44:43 > 0:44:46really veg out, it's been a hard day
0:44:46 > 0:44:49but, yeah, early night tonight, definitely.
0:44:49 > 0:44:52Boys and girls.
0:44:52 > 0:44:54They've been in the office for just one day,
0:44:54 > 0:44:57but the babies have had a significant impact.
0:44:57 > 0:45:01Bye-bye, don't bring your mother in next time.
0:45:01 > 0:45:05The question for MD Liam, is whether he can afford
0:45:05 > 0:45:06to extend the trial for a whole month
0:45:06 > 0:45:08without wrecking the company's bottom line.
0:45:11 > 0:45:13- Hi.- Hiya.
0:45:13 > 0:45:16The fate of the scheme and the hopes of the parents
0:45:16 > 0:45:19all rest with managing director, Liam.
0:45:19 > 0:45:22- Everybody suitably knackered? - Yes. Definitely.
0:45:22 > 0:45:25I hear the stats on the fourth floor weren't too clever.
0:45:25 > 0:45:29No, the sales guys, I think only one performed to the same level as the day before.
0:45:29 > 0:45:31And what about your lot, Emma?
0:45:31 > 0:45:33How many calls did they take compared to like normal?
0:45:33 > 0:45:35It was quite telling actually.
0:45:35 > 0:45:37Looking at Zara's stats,
0:45:37 > 0:45:41she took, normally would take 27 calls an hour
0:45:41 > 0:45:45that she's recently been performing, that went down to 19.
0:45:45 > 0:45:47Paul as sort of the only dad that I got to see,
0:45:47 > 0:45:50seemed to be faffing a bit compared to some of the mums
0:45:50 > 0:45:53who just came in, plonked the baby down, fed him, on you go.
0:45:53 > 0:45:55With Paul I think he was milking it a bit more than most.
0:45:55 > 0:45:58How do we think it went? What do we think we can learn from it?
0:45:58 > 0:46:03I'm not sure, I'm still undecided about toddlers that can walk around.
0:46:03 > 0:46:05- Agreed, yeah. - I'm not sure if that would work,
0:46:05 > 0:46:08but I definitely think children that aren't really mobile
0:46:08 > 0:46:11in terms of walking around, maybe they can crawl around,
0:46:11 > 0:46:13I think could work.
0:46:17 > 0:46:18The jury is out.
0:46:20 > 0:46:23Being in charge of a £200 million company,
0:46:23 > 0:46:26Liam needs proof that it really can work.
0:46:29 > 0:46:31So he and Claire head to America -
0:46:31 > 0:46:34the birthplace of the babies-at-work scheme.
0:46:36 > 0:46:39I want to see how they do it, I want to see if it's...
0:46:39 > 0:46:42If it's struggling to be acceptable over here,
0:46:42 > 0:46:45I think we're going to have big problems trying to get it accepted.
0:46:45 > 0:46:49So I think the important thing is to see how they've implemented it.
0:46:50 > 0:46:55I think now we're here, having done the trial day back at home,
0:46:55 > 0:46:57I think there was a couple of things came out of it,
0:46:57 > 0:46:59it was pretty chaotic,
0:46:59 > 0:47:02so I think one of the more interesting things will be to see,
0:47:02 > 0:47:06how is it in practice for somewhere where the novelty has worn off,
0:47:06 > 0:47:08where they've been doing it for a while, day to day?
0:47:08 > 0:47:11Is it fairly normal, is it just matter of fact,
0:47:11 > 0:47:14come on in, kids get on with it, parents get on with it,
0:47:14 > 0:47:17and they are productive? Or is it still quite a distraction,
0:47:17 > 0:47:21and is it quite a... Does that whole novelty thing
0:47:21 > 0:47:24just play havoc with the actual doing of the job?
0:47:33 > 0:47:35The Arizona State Department Of Health
0:47:35 > 0:47:38has a turnover of 2 billion a year.
0:47:41 > 0:47:44It employs over 1,700 people and,
0:47:44 > 0:47:46to date, has raised 110 babies...
0:47:49 > 0:47:51..with ten currently in residence.
0:47:53 > 0:47:55- Hi, I'm Claire, nice to meet you. - I'm Liam, hi.
0:47:55 > 0:47:58- Nice to meet you, I'm Bethy. - And who's this little girl?
0:47:58 > 0:48:01- This is Stella.- And how long has Stella been coming to work?
0:48:01 > 0:48:04Stella has been here for two months.
0:48:04 > 0:48:07She came when she just turned two months old.
0:48:07 > 0:48:10Workwise, how do you find it doing the work having her around you?
0:48:10 > 0:48:14Workwise it's actually fine. I have things set up how I need them.
0:48:14 > 0:48:16She sits on my lap a little bit.
0:48:16 > 0:48:19But a lot of the time, she'll hang out in her little bouncer,
0:48:19 > 0:48:23and then I have her little toys that I brought from home,
0:48:23 > 0:48:26but I leave them here. So she has these.
0:48:26 > 0:48:30Do they measure your productivity as part of this?
0:48:30 > 0:48:33My workload hasn't changed. I haven't really noticed a difference.
0:48:33 > 0:48:35I mean, I have the same caseload,
0:48:35 > 0:48:38I've had to really keep focused, so when she's sleeping, I'll...
0:48:38 > 0:48:42that's maybe when I make phone calls or something
0:48:42 > 0:48:45where I don't want a baby in the background making noise.
0:48:45 > 0:48:51In the United States, paid maternity leave is not a legal right
0:48:51 > 0:48:55and many mothers who go back to work do so after just a few weeks.
0:48:55 > 0:49:01Babies-at-work schemes are a growing solution to this issue.
0:49:01 > 0:49:05From your boss's point of view, do they measure what happens to you on the days he comes in?
0:49:05 > 0:49:07Does anyone ever pull you in and say,
0:49:07 > 0:49:10- "You haven't done as much today?" - No.- No?
0:49:10 > 0:49:14No, they don't do that. No, they're really good about it.
0:49:14 > 0:49:17How much productivity do you drop by?
0:49:17 > 0:49:21I would say about a quarter, 25%.
0:49:21 > 0:49:25- You do about 25% less work as a result.- Correct, yes.
0:49:25 > 0:49:26That's still 25% across the week,
0:49:26 > 0:49:28so you're going to lose 10 hours work,
0:49:28 > 0:49:31so therefore, from a business point of view,
0:49:31 > 0:49:32our average salary,
0:49:32 > 0:49:35that'd be costing us the best part of 70 quid a week.
0:49:35 > 0:49:38I'm a contractor here, a consultant, so I actually
0:49:38 > 0:49:42am very sensitive to that
0:49:42 > 0:49:47and so then I just don't invoice those hours then, I subtract them.
0:49:47 > 0:49:51- Oh!- So it doesn't really cost anybody anything.- Oh, OK.
0:49:53 > 0:49:59The department's babies-at-work scheme has been running for 12 years.
0:49:59 > 0:50:02The man who currently oversees it is director, Will Humble.
0:50:02 > 0:50:05- Hi, Will.- Oh, hi, you came.
0:50:06 > 0:50:08I'm Claire, nice to meet you.
0:50:08 > 0:50:10Hi, nice to meet you too, thanks for the opportunity.
0:50:10 > 0:50:13- Hi, nice to meet you. - Thank you for seeing us.
0:50:13 > 0:50:16Hi, come on, have a seat, let's chat for a minute about it.
0:50:16 > 0:50:17Great. Thank you.
0:50:18 > 0:50:20What do you think so far?
0:50:20 > 0:50:23Well, we've certainly met a couple of the ladies that are doing it
0:50:23 > 0:50:25and it seems to be working really well.
0:50:25 > 0:50:27Everyone seems to be absolutely loving it,
0:50:27 > 0:50:30and it's a great thing to have in place.
0:50:30 > 0:50:33Sitting in this job, that's my main priority,
0:50:33 > 0:50:35which is to look at the agency as a whole.
0:50:35 > 0:50:39This is a 2 billion a year agency, that's what our revenue stream is,
0:50:39 > 0:50:41and so I look at it like,
0:50:41 > 0:50:45in order to keep this organisation running not just for today
0:50:45 > 0:50:46but in the long run,
0:50:46 > 0:50:50we've got to build the infrastructure of middle managers
0:50:50 > 0:50:53who are going to be moving into those senior manager positions
0:50:53 > 0:50:58and we've invested a lot of effort into that middle management team
0:50:58 > 0:51:01and a lot of them are women in their 30s, and they're having babies,
0:51:01 > 0:51:04and we can't afford to lose them, so to me, it's really a business deal.
0:51:04 > 0:51:09You don't have any reservations in the productivity drop whilst they've got the kids here?
0:51:09 > 0:51:11Well, it hasn't been a problem,
0:51:11 > 0:51:16but what we gain is a long-term increase in our productivity,
0:51:16 > 0:51:21and we build and continue to reinforce the commitment we have with our employees
0:51:21 > 0:51:25which helps us in the long run to retain those critical employees
0:51:25 > 0:51:28that may have made another choice.
0:51:28 > 0:51:30Most of these women have husbands that have jobs,
0:51:30 > 0:51:34and you know they could probably stay home.
0:51:34 > 0:51:37Just wanted to ask you about something else.
0:51:37 > 0:51:39We're looking at doing it beyond six months.
0:51:39 > 0:51:42I'd say that's brave, but I'm not going to say you can't do it.
0:51:42 > 0:51:43It's all a question of, you know,
0:51:43 > 0:51:47can you bring the resources that you need to make it work?
0:51:47 > 0:51:48We're in the public sector,
0:51:48 > 0:51:51I don't know if you are public or private sector?
0:51:51 > 0:51:53- Private.- So that means you can go to somebody
0:51:53 > 0:51:55that can write a cheque to make it happen.
0:51:55 > 0:51:58Yeah, I would be the guy writing that cheque, and I'm tempted.
0:51:58 > 0:52:01I think the reasons you give for keeping and retaining
0:52:01 > 0:52:04any member of staff, that's the reason why we're looking at it.
0:52:04 > 0:52:08I mean, it's a good opportunity and it's so easy to do, it really is!
0:52:08 > 0:52:10- Well, I'll hold you to that! - LAUGHTER
0:52:10 > 0:52:12Thank you for all your information,
0:52:12 > 0:52:15we'll go away a little bit more educated on it now on how to do it.
0:52:15 > 0:52:20- Right, well, good luck with the cause.- Thank you.- Bye.- Bye.
0:52:24 > 0:52:28I think it was good to talk to A, a boss, and B, a man,
0:52:28 > 0:52:30because everyone we've spoken so far has been female,
0:52:30 > 0:52:33and they're probably a little bit more child orientated,
0:52:33 > 0:52:36so to hear a guy say it's a good idea and it's got buy in,
0:52:36 > 0:52:39and it's got benefits, I take with a little bit more credibility,
0:52:39 > 0:52:42so that's why it was good to speak to him from my point of view.
0:52:42 > 0:52:45The reality of why he's got the scheme is he keeps the best staff
0:52:45 > 0:52:50and he retains the people that do the job best for him.
0:52:50 > 0:52:52So that's what you want to do, isn't it?
0:52:52 > 0:52:55- Keep the best middle management women.- Anyone in mind?- Me!
0:53:04 > 0:53:06With Liam more reassured about the bottom line,
0:53:06 > 0:53:09he and Claire head to Halcyon Yarns in Maine -
0:53:09 > 0:53:15a medium sized business with over 80,000 customers.
0:53:15 > 0:53:18- Hi, I'm Claire.- Nice to meet you.
0:53:18 > 0:53:19Founded by Halcyon Blake,
0:53:19 > 0:53:23it has one of the world's longest running babies-at-work schemes.
0:53:23 > 0:53:27Oh, there's the blue one, good, Frieda, you found it, sweetie.
0:53:30 > 0:53:33Halcyon's own daughter, Gretchen,
0:53:33 > 0:53:35was just two days old when she was first taken to work.
0:53:35 > 0:53:38- Nice to meet you. - The product of this environment.
0:53:38 > 0:53:41- Yeah.- Lucky me. - The first one.- Yeah, I survived.
0:53:41 > 0:53:45She's living proof of the benefits to babies.
0:53:45 > 0:53:48- I don't suppose you can remember it, can you?- Bits and pieces, sure.
0:53:48 > 0:53:53You know I was here from when she was pregnant with me in the store,
0:53:53 > 0:53:56my entire childhood and, yeah,
0:53:56 > 0:53:58there's probably things I've blocked out,
0:53:58 > 0:54:01don't worry, I've forgot the bad stuff.
0:54:01 > 0:54:03But I think on the whole I was really lucky.
0:54:03 > 0:54:04I mean, I'm very grateful
0:54:04 > 0:54:08and I think it's probably really shaped how I live now as an adult.
0:54:08 > 0:54:10I suppose what we wonder is does it do anything
0:54:10 > 0:54:12to indoctrinate you with a sort of work ethic -
0:54:12 > 0:54:15kids in childcare versus a kid brought in the workplace -
0:54:15 > 0:54:17does it make a difference?
0:54:17 > 0:54:19Absolutely, and I think one of the things
0:54:19 > 0:54:21that's really nice about that is
0:54:21 > 0:54:25I learned not to sort of compartmentalise life versus work,
0:54:25 > 0:54:29so you don't see yourself as I'm at a job and this is what I do there
0:54:29 > 0:54:31and then I leave
0:54:31 > 0:54:34and I have my identity and my family and my personal life.
0:54:34 > 0:54:36You don't have to choose between the things that matter to you,
0:54:36 > 0:54:40you can find a way to make them a part of each other.
0:54:44 > 0:54:49In the UK, work and parenting remain largely separate.
0:54:49 > 0:54:51The average cost of childcare for each baby under two
0:54:51 > 0:54:54is more than £5,000 per year.
0:54:58 > 0:55:01And a quarter of women who go on maternity leave
0:55:01 > 0:55:03don't return to work.
0:55:05 > 0:55:08For employers, this means a significant cost
0:55:08 > 0:55:13in terms of recruiting and training their replacements.
0:55:14 > 0:55:21It's something both business people and experts in social policy want to address.
0:55:21 > 0:55:24The fact is the people are the ones that make the business
0:55:24 > 0:55:26and, if you want to have the best people,
0:55:26 > 0:55:28you've got to treat them properly.
0:55:28 > 0:55:30And if you're going to treat them properly,
0:55:30 > 0:55:34that includes making sure that you've got family-friendly policies
0:55:34 > 0:55:36which gives people flexibility
0:55:36 > 0:55:41and allows them to do what they need to do to support their children.
0:55:41 > 0:55:44As a country, it makes no sense to force families
0:55:44 > 0:55:46to choose between work and bringing up their children.
0:55:46 > 0:55:49We should enable them to balance work and family life,
0:55:49 > 0:55:52providing the kind of childcare, the flexible work opportunities
0:55:52 > 0:55:54that enable them both to have careers
0:55:54 > 0:55:56and to bring up their children.
0:55:56 > 0:55:59At the moment, we force far too many families to give up work
0:55:59 > 0:56:03because they can't afford to do that and provide for their kids.
0:56:03 > 0:56:06Back at the office, it's decision time.
0:56:06 > 0:56:09Will the company extend the trial for a whole month
0:56:09 > 0:56:11or abandon it entirely?
0:56:11 > 0:56:13Liam calls the parents into a meeting.
0:56:13 > 0:56:16Having now seen how it works in America,
0:56:16 > 0:56:20what's your overview of what actually happened and what you saw?
0:56:20 > 0:56:23I didn't fully appreciate quite how easy...
0:56:23 > 0:56:25I was the biggest sceptic of anyone when I first...
0:56:25 > 0:56:28when the idea was first floated, "That's never going to work."
0:56:28 > 0:56:29Having seen it in place,
0:56:29 > 0:56:32it definitely does work, it's just up to what age limit it can work.
0:56:32 > 0:56:34The reaction of the mothers out there
0:56:34 > 0:56:36and the benefits that came with it
0:56:36 > 0:56:39were far more significant than I really thought they could be.
0:56:39 > 0:56:42I really think we can do something quite special and unique in the UK
0:56:42 > 0:56:43and make it work.
0:56:43 > 0:56:45We are committed to giving it a trial,
0:56:45 > 0:56:47we are committed to trialling it.
0:56:47 > 0:56:51Without a doubt. One of the things we did see, it does work.
0:56:51 > 0:56:52Having seeing it in place,
0:56:52 > 0:56:55we are definitely going to be doing something, at your desk,
0:56:55 > 0:56:59I have no doubt that we will be able to make it work at somebody's desk.
0:56:59 > 0:57:02Addisson Lee are going to extend the trial for an entire month.
0:57:03 > 0:57:09Next time, the company puts their £15 million monthly turnover at risk.
0:57:09 > 0:57:11We've had a customer complaint.
0:57:11 > 0:57:15Passenger was expecting a vehicle this morning, important meeting,
0:57:15 > 0:57:17six passengers, car's not arrived.
0:57:19 > 0:57:21More staff are on the verge of pulling out.
0:57:21 > 0:57:25Having both worlds, having Tanisha in my work life in one
0:57:25 > 0:57:28is kind of slipping away.
0:57:28 > 0:57:34I just didn't expect it to be this hard to do both at the same time.
0:57:34 > 0:57:39And the babies aren't the only ones close to tears.
0:57:39 > 0:57:42Today, I'm not really achieving my target because Tyler's teething,
0:57:42 > 0:57:47the most he's slept today has been about 15 minutes.
0:57:47 > 0:57:50Yeah, so, it hasn't been that much of a great day.
0:57:50 > 0:57:53But can the scheme convert the sceptics?
0:57:53 > 0:57:56My name's Kitty Kat.
0:57:56 > 0:58:00In general I've loved having her here, it's been good, good fun. Long may it continue.
0:58:00 > 0:58:04And if you would've seen me at the beginning, I wouldn't have said that.
0:58:04 > 0:58:08And will the boss agree to keep the babies on - permanently?
0:58:08 > 0:58:10- Afternoon, everybody. - ALL: Afternoon.
0:58:10 > 0:58:13It's been an interesting experiment, you know,
0:58:13 > 0:58:15it's not been without its challenges.
0:58:15 > 0:58:19Whatever we decide today will affect people's lives for the future.
0:58:19 > 0:58:23It will affect people deciding to have families, so it's not a decision we've taken lightly.
0:58:23 > 0:58:25And the decision is...
0:58:48 > 0:58:53Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd