Rogue Architects prides itself on being a company that “gets stuff done”. Realizing that a coworker who didn’t have a private office would be coming back from maternity leave, two senior staffers got to work to create a comfortable and private “Zen Room” that went above the minimum basic legal requirements for offering a private space for mothers needing to pump during the workday. Numerous working mothers have benefited from having a private and calm space, including one of the female staffers who originally helped to create the room. This low-cost, creative solution has become a “beloved workspace amenity” which exemplifies the culture of support for working parents at Rogue Architects and their creative attempts to retain talent.
Even while officing in a building built in 1905, Rogue Architects was able to create a comfortable, safe and user-friendly nursing room for working moms for under $400.
Priority access to the “Zen Room” is given to Rogue’s working mothers who choose to pump during the workday.
All employees can access the “Zen Room” for personal reasons including calls to family during working hours.
This low-cost and creative amenity complements the strong culture Rogue Architects offers to working parents. As a company, Rogue Architects can attest to research that shows that employers who support women who choose to breastfeed have more satisfied and loyal employees, resulting in higher productivity. Rogue Architects’ employees are overall more satisfied and stay longer than traditional architect firms, with over 35% of employees (note: all of this 35% are Millennial and Gen Z) having been with the company for more than five years. This creative benefit added significant value for employees and allowed the organization to distinguish a low-cost competitive benefit by doing more for working mothers.
“The Zen Room has given me a comfortable and peaceful place to pump while at work. I was dreading the hassle of pumping while trying to keep up with work, but Rogue has made it easy for me to step away and pump when I need to.” – Tiffany Roth, Studio Lead
“Exhibiting care for each other is woven into the Rogue Architects culture and the creation of the Zen Room space was a shining example of how giving your leadership staff the tools and flexibility to prioritize the wellbeing of others often results in better, more innovative, and more inclusive solutions. By supporting moms, we were able to support everyone in the firm.”
Kevin Finestead, Rogue Architects CEO/OWNER
