HOW TO BRIDGE
THE WORK-FAMILYTHE WORK-FAMILY
DISCONNECTDISCONNECT
FewFew tough realities during the Covid-19 tough realities during the Covid-19
crisis have been as universal—crisis have been as universal—or as analyzed—or as analyzed—as as
the huge strain on famthe huge strain on families as they milies as they manage their anage their
homhome and work lives in an unstable world. These e and work lives in an unstable world. These
pressures aren’t new. They were simpressures aren’t new. They were simmmering under ering under
the surface for decades, as our economthe surface for decades, as our economy evolved to y evolved to
rely on mrely on more womore women working in paid jobs, but our en working in paid jobs, but our
support systemsupport systems did not evolve with it.s did not evolve with it.
WWhat’s new, to mhat’s new, to me, is that we’ve arrived at a me, is that we’ve arrived at a mo-o-
mment where real collaboration to sment where real collaboration to smooth the path ooth the path
for the next generation of famfor the next generation of family builders is possi-ily builders is possi-
ble. The answer lies in how we think about the “fu-ble. The answer lies in how we think about the “fu-
ture of work.” I believe the tumture of work.” I believe the tumult of the pandemult of the pandemic ic
mmay finally be enough to may finally be enough to make famake families central in ilies central in
the conversation. That could bridge a divide that the conversation. That could bridge a divide that
I long observed as CEO of PepsiCo.I long observed as CEO of PepsiCo.
I was a high-profile femI was a high-profile female CEO for male CEO for more than ore than
a decade and was asked over and over to discuss a decade and was asked over and over to discuss
work and famwork and family conflicts in front of large audi-ily conflicts in front of large audi-
ences. I mences. I met thousands of people worried about et thousands of people worried about
how to be true to their famhow to be true to their families, their jobs and their ilies, their jobs and their
amambitions to be good citizens. This engagembitions to be good citizens. This engagement ent
had a great imhad a great impact on mpact on me; I learned and absorbed e; I learned and absorbed
the details at a visceral level. I thought about the details at a visceral level. I thought about
how famhow family is such a powerful source of humily is such a powerful source of human an
strength, but realized that creating and nurturing strength, but realized that creating and nurturing
famfamilies is a source of stress for so milies is a source of stress for so many.any.
At the samAt the same time time, I was ame, I was among a vaunted group ong a vaunted group
of global CEOs regularly invited into roomof global CEOs regularly invited into rooms with s with
the mthe most influential leaders on the planet. I camost influential leaders on the planet. I came to e to
notice that the painful stories about how people—notice that the painful stories about how people—
especially womespecially women—en—struggle to blend their lives struggle to blend their lives
and livelihoods were entirely absent in those and livelihoods were entirely absent in those
roomrooms. The titans of industry, politics and eco-s. The titans of industry, politics and eco-
nomnomics talked about advancing the world through ics talked about advancing the world through
finance, technology and flying to Mfinance, technology and flying to Mars. Famars. Family—ily—
the actual mthe actual messy, delightful, diffiessy, delightful, difficult and treasured cult and treasured
core of how mcore of how most of us live—ost of us live—was fringe.was fringe.
This disconnect has profound consequences. This disconnect has profound consequences.
Our failure to address work and famOur failure to address work and family pressures ily pressures
in the senior reaches of global decision in the senior reaches of global decision mmaking re-aking re-
strains hundreds of mstrains hundreds of millions of womillions of women every day, en every day,
not only fromnot only from rising and leading, but also from rising and leading, but also from
blending a satisfying career with a healthy part-blending a satisfying career with a healthy part-
nership and mnership and motherhood. In a prosperous motherhood. In a prosperous market-arket-
place, all womplace, all women should have the choice of paid en should have the choice of paidwork outside the home, and our social and eco-
nomnomic infrastructure mic infrastructure must support that choice.ust support that choice.
WWomomen’s financial independence and security—en’s financial independence and security—
so central to their equality—so central to their equality—are at stake. And ig-are at stake. And ig-
noring the fact that the work world is still largely noring the fact that the work world is still largely
skewed toward the “ideal worker” of yore—skewed toward the “ideal worker” of yore—an un-an un-
encumencumbered mbered male breadwinner—ale breadwinner—depletes us all.depletes us all.
MMen too. Comen too. Companies lose out because produc-panies lose out because produc-
tivity, innovation and profit suffer when so mtivity, innovation and profit suffer when so many any
ememployees feel they can’t bring their whole selves ployees feel they can’t bring their whole selves
to work. Famto work. Families lose out because they spend so ilies lose out because they spend so
mmuch energy coping with old systemuch energy coping with old systems, froms, from short short
school hours to a lack of parental leave or elder school hours to a lack of parental leave or elder
care, that don’t mcare, that don’t mesh with their reality.esh with their reality.
The entire global comThe entire global commmunity suffers too. Munity suffers too. Many any
young people, worried about how they will myoung people, worried about how they will man-an-
age it all, are choosing not to have children. This age it all, are choosing not to have children. This
could not only have dire economcould not only have dire economic consequences ic consequences
in the decades to comin the decades to come, but, on a personal note, I e, but, on a personal note, I
find this sad. Wfind this sad. With everything I have accomith everything I have accomplished, plished,
mmy greatest joy was having children, and I wouldn’t y greatest joy was having children, and I wouldn’t
want anyone to mwant anyone to miss the experience if they want it.iss the experience if they want it.
I believe that we mI believe that we must address the work and ust address the work and
famfamily conundrumily conundrum by focusing on our infrastruc- by focusing on our infrastruc-
ture around “care” with an energy and ingenu-ture around “care” with an energy and ingenu-
ity like never before. Wity like never before. Wity like never before. We should consider this a e should consider this a e should consider this a a
mmoon shot, first ensuring every worker has access oon shot, first ensuring every worker has access
to paid leave, flexibility and predictability to help to paid leave, flexibility and predictability to help
themthem handle the ebb and flow of work and fam handle the ebb and flow of work and family ily
life, then mlife, then moving fast to develop the moving fast to develop the most innova-ost innova-
tive and comtive and comprehensive childcare and elder-care prehensive childcare and elder-care
solutions our greatest msolutions our greatest minds can devise.inds can devise.
This mThis mission will require leadership that we ission will require leadership that we
don’t often see. The fundamdon’t often see. The fundamental role of a leader ental role of a leader
is to look for ways to shape the decades ahead, is to look for ways to shape the decades ahead,
not just react to the present not just react to the present ——and to help others and to help others
accept the discomaccept the discomfort of disruptions to the sta-fort of disruptions to the sta-
tus quo. Wtus quo. We need the wisdome need the wisdom of business lead- of business lead-
ers, policy mers, policy makers, and all womakers, and all women and men and men pas-en pas-
sionate about easing the work and famsionate about easing the work and family burden ily burden
to comto comto come together here. We together here. We together here. We need a can-do sense of e need a can-do sense of e need a can-do sense of f
optimoptimismism and a m and a must-do sense of responsibility. ust-do sense of responsibility.
WWe can transforme can transform our society. our society.Adapted from Adapted from MMy Life in Full: Wy Life in Full: Work, Famork, Family and ily and
Our Future,Our Future, available now available nowInnovation
and profit
suffer when
so many
employees
feel they
can’t bring
their whole
selves
to workBy Indra NooyiW O R K
DAVE PUENTE/COURTESY INDRA NOOYI