#BIYP: An Opportunity to Say Thanks for Everything They’ve Taught You
Today, November 16, is one of my favorite days at LinkedIn. On our annual Bring In Your Parents Day more than a quarter of our employees will invite someone who helped shape them as a person and professional to come to work with them to learn about what they do.
We firmly believe that everyone deserves to bring their full, authentic selves to work every day, and the people who help shape us are a big part of that. It’s great for our employees – but it’s also great for business. Companies are more successful when their employees don’t feel like they have to hide behind an artificial “work persona.” In fact, LinkedIn research shows 58 percent of professionals become happier at work when they spend time with colleagues engaged in non-work pursuits.
Six years ago we had a sneaking suspicion that a lot of parents have no idea what their adult children do at work. So we did some research and confirmed our hunch in 2015 when we found that a third of parents don’t know what their children do for a living.
This year, we’ll celebrate with a variety of programs and events designed to educate our parents and express gratitude to some of the most influential people in our lives taking place in every one of our 30-plus offices around the world. In addition to providing them with a chance to become more knowledgeable about what their children do each day, we’ll treat them to office tours, engaging presentations, and delicious lunches. I’m most excited about the on-site gardening outing in Sunnyvale, the guided meditation sessions, and the team “get-to-know-you” gatherings.
For me, November 16 is a chance to introduce my parents, Ernie and Mary Tavella to my colleagues. My Mom is a retired special education teacher, and my Dad is a retired school principal and who now coaches principals. Bringing them to work for the day is tons of fun for all three of us!
While this tradition started here at LinkedIn, over time, it has grown in scope and ambition. This year we expect 50+ companies – reaching an estimated 10K employees and more than 20K parents around the world – to participate. Companies continue to reach out to us every year to find out how they can join us, and make it an annual recurring event. It's inspiring to see how many organizations share this commitment to nurturing a positive workplace culture.
If you are hosting Bring In Your Parents day at your company on November 16, we hope you’ll share some of your special moments on social media using #BIYP.
Curious about how to get involved? Check out bringinyourparents.linkedin.com.