What Makes a ‘Best Workplace for Parents?’

It’s the call every parent dreads: your child has been involved in an accident and is in the hospital.

I was on the receiving end of that call a couple of years ago when my son Jonny, an avid skier, was in a terrible accident on the slopes. He was in critical condition with major head trauma, a collapsed and damaged lung, internal bleeding, a stroke, major nerve and artery damage, a lacerated liver and spleen, and a myriad of broken bones throughout his body. If not for the doctors, nurses, ski patrol, and quick thinking of his friends that day, Jonny may not have survived.

Today I’m happy to share that Jonny is healthy and as active as ever! And my family was beyond grateful for our T-Mobile benefits and the outpouring of support we received from our ‘magenta family’ during that time. It was an incredible relief to know that T-Mobile had my back so that I could focus on my family. My healthcare covered extensive medical bills and a Health Pro helped make sense of the bills, scheduled appointments and managed prescriptions so that I could take time to spend with Jonny and my family when it was most critical.

It’s not just the COO that gets great benefits. We’ve known all along that putting employees first is the ONLY way to deliver on our vision of a better wireless industry. So, yeah, we take care of our WHOLE magenta family – so they can take care of our customers. It’s in our DNA.

We know that when it comes to creating, growing or managing your family, one method doesn’t fit all, and that’s why we support families in whatever way is best for THEM. We are in the business of listening to customers AND employees, implementing new options to reflect their needs. That’s been the secret to the Un-carrier’s success for nearly five years now!

We have strong health benefits for employees and their families, and we also have other great family benefits – paid parental leave for moms and dads, money towards infertility services, adoption and surrogacy assistance, money for childcare, and more. But it’s not just our benefits that create our magenta community, it’s our special culture. One that values our team, so that together, we can value our customers.

It’s why I wasn’t one bit surprised to learn that T-Mobile was named to Fortune’s 2017 Best Workplaces for Parents list!

And it’s why ALL companies need to put employees first. It’s the ONLY way to be customer-obsessed. A radical customer focus starts with putting employees first.

 I’m COO of T-Mobile and you can also find me on Twitter at @SievertMike.

?PS – want to join #TeamMagenta? Check out our current career opportunities!