Coca-Cola launches kids@work initiative

Women in drinks councillor Sally Byrne has successfully introduced a Kids@Work program to Coca-Cola Amatil’s Alcohol and Coffee business.

Byrne, who is Marketing Director for the Alcohol & Coffee business, had the idea to allow employees to bring their children to work during designated weeks throughout the year.

Her initial pilot, which ran over five days in January 2016, involved 24 employees and 35 children and won recognition in the form of a national Innov8 Employee Engagement award, as part of Amatil’s Australia-wide Innovation awards program. A second program ran in the lead up to Australia Day 2017. 

“We had the parents at ‘hello’,” Byrne said. “It’s more than simple child-minding. It’s a way for children to connect to that mysterious place their mum or dad disappears to so much.

“We give them a million things to do and games to play, but they also learn about mum or dad’s work. We’ve had 100% positive feedback from children and parents so far.”

The initiative is part of Coca-Cola Amatil’s commitment to a flexible and family-friendly culture, which is fundamental to attracting, engaging and retaining a world-class workforce.

Peter McLoughlin, HR Director for Australia, said the initiative was a great demonstration of the company’s commitment to a family-friendly culture.

“Work is a massive part of most adults’ lives, and we’re well aware of the need to balance that with the needs of families. It’s tough to find regular child care in school holidays, so we’re very happy to help out some of our Amatil parents with Kids@Work.”

Byrne said Kids@Work brought a different spirit and vibe to the business that was unlike any other time of the year.

“Children befriend other kids and get to know other ‘big’ people their parents work with. And it’s not all play. One child’s dream came true when she had the opportunity to present her drink innovation idea on powerpoint to our leadership team. The nine-year-old girl did an exceptional job – the idea might even get up!”

Consideration is now being given to rolling it out across the broader business. The program delivers practical support for team members with families, many of whom struggle to find childcare during the school holidays.