Addison Lee lets staff care for their babies in the office

 
Kids at work: Addison Lee Picture: © Vicki Couchman
Rob Parsons16 July 2012

London's biggest cab hire firm has become the first company in the country to allow staff to care for their babies while working in the office.

Addison Lee says it has introduced the scheme at its base in the capital to encourage staff to return to work after maternity leave.

The company has welcomed eight babies into its Euston office as part of a trial. The site has about 900 workers, with some of the babies brought in by parents working in the call centre.

Liam Griffin, Addison Lee’s managing director, said: “The initial reaction was ‘what a crazy idea’. But after giving it some thought, many employees were extremely keen.

“Women realised it would give them the possibility of saving on childcare while bonding with their babies for longer and continuing to breastfeed.”

Firms in America have already adopted the scheme as a way of cutting the soaring cost of childcare, which has risen by a third in Britain since 2008.

Thelma Adoo, 26, a call centre agent, takes her son Tyler into work with her. She said: “It’s been great to be able to get paid rather than sitting at home with him.

“I was going to wait until he turned one before putting him into nursery, but the scheme meant I was able to come back three months early and he has been coming to work with me four days a week.”

Addison Lee’s trial will feature in Babies in the Office, on BBC Two, tonight and tomorrow at 7pm.

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