Georg Loewen, a 35-year-old senior director of digital marketing at SourceCode Communications, a public relations agency based in New Jersey, recounts his experience reconciling the challenges of new fatherhood with professional obligations. Living in West Orange, New Jersey, Loewen joined his current employer in November 2024, making it clear from the outset that his primary role was being a father to his then one-year-old daughter.
Both he and his wife maintain full-time jobs, which meant logistics around their daughter’s care were a prominent part of their daily routines. Like many working parents, Loewen found himself constantly adjusting to new demands, attempting to understand how fatherhood would shape his work life.
Since 2022, the company implemented a policy requiring employees based in New York and New Jersey to work from the office three days per week. This expectation translated into a demanding commute for Loewen, who faced about an hour's door-to-door travel time to reach the Manhattan office. The complexities of his commute often interfered with his ability to maintain a consistent schedule.
The morning’s day care drop-off, typically scheduled at 8 a.m., was one of the main hurdles affecting his timing. Due to the facility being approximately 4.5 miles from the nearest train station, and the parking there operating on a first-come, first-served basis, simply securing a spot could prove difficult and time-consuming. The ideal train for his arrival time was the 8:20 a.m. service, which would get him to the office slightly after 9 a.m., allowing for a timely start to his work day—assuming all connections operated on schedule. Missing this train meant taking the 8:46 a.m. train, which pushed his office arrival to after 10 a.m., sometimes causing him to be late or miss parts of important morning meetings.
Additionally, taking calls during the train ride was less than ideal. The transit service could be unreliable, and his commute required a transfer in Newark, leading to frequent disruptions during client calls or periods of silence that affected work quality.
The challenge of determining each day’s best work approach began to feel like a complicated equation balancing professional obligations and parental responsibilities.
Earlier this year, during a particularly difficult phase when his daughter was unsettled at day care, Loewen’s manager noticed his challenges in maintaining consistent office attendance. Proactively addressing the situation, the manager and Loewen discussed possible adjustments, including reducing his required in-office days or establishing a hot desk for more flexible use.
Ultimately, they decided to maintain flexible arrangements whereby Loewen would work from home if drop-off or parking complications interfered with his ability to commute. This decision underscored their shared understanding that the quality and completion of work held greater importance than the physical workplace location.
Since then, Loewen’s weekly presence at the office has varied from zero to two days, depending on circumstances. While this flexibility has been a relief, it also brought unexpected feelings of guilt. Initially, Loewen worried his reduced office presence might be seen as an exception or even a breach of expectations. He harbored concerns about perceptions among colleagues, wondering if he would be viewed as privileged or receiving special treatment.
However, his experience has been quite the opposite. Rather than encountering resentment, he has felt supported by his employer and peers. The company culture embraces family-first values, cultivating a climate of trust and understanding that has eased his anxiety about working remotely more often.
This relationship of trust has not only permitted him to manage daycare drop-offs effectively but also enabled him to fulfill his work responsibilities and return home in time for family dinners—contingent upon the cooperation of New Jersey Transit services. While the daily routine is not always seamless, the arrangement works satisfactorily in most cases.
Loewen regards the flexibility granted not simply as an exception or accommodation, but rather as an overall understanding of the realities faced by working parents. He expresses confidence that similar consideration would extend to any colleague navigating comparable challenges.
Currently, Loewen typically attends the office one to two days each week, adjusting for periods with holidays or parent-teacher conferences when his in-person presence drops closer to once weekly. The persistent difficulty of finding parking near the train station led him to invest in a foldable bicycle. His current commuting routine involves dropping off his daughter, returning home to park his car, and then cycling approximately 1.5 miles to the station. Despite being on the parking permit waitlist, he does not expect to secure a spot soon based on informal feedback from neighbors.
Aware that his team is expanding—evidenced by the recent addition of a marketing coordinator—he has consciously tried to be physically present in the office during onboarding phases and other critical periods. There has not been a formal timeline defining the duration of his flexible work arrangement, but Loewen anticipates periodic reassessment as organizational needs evolve.
One of the key learnings from this experience for Loewen has been the importance of transparent communication about personal needs. Contrary to his initial apprehension, initiating open discussions with management regarding flexibility proved straightforward and constructive, allowing for solutions customized to his dual roles as a professional and a father.
His story highlights the potential for employers and employees to collaboratively create work models that recognize and accommodate the complex realities of parenting without sacrificing productivity or workplace contribution.