Office Baby Showers: On the Clock or After Hours?

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Saved 4/27/10 to Baby Shower Tips and Pics

Office Baby Showers: On the Clock or After Hours?

Babies are something to celebrate, but does that cheer extend to the office? Many working women are thrown a send-off as they head out on maternity leave. Whether the soiree is a luncheon with her close circle of co-workers or cupcakes and sparkling apple cider served in a conference room, the gathering honors the new life and the mama-to-be's entrance into motherhood.

Some employees believe an impending babe is cause for a workplace fete and others question why people who reproduce are rewarded with a get-together on company time. Do you think these parties are appropriate on the clock or best left until after hours?

Photos copyright 2010 NBC Inc.

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Baby Shower Tips and Pics

2 years 34 weeks

What about at a gov`t office on the taxpayers dime ? Or a government subsidized company ?

tlsgirl 3 years 3 weeks

After hours.

chloe bella 3 years 3 weeks

I chose "on the clock." I think a casual shower at lunch is fine. But it would obviously depend on the workplace.

jenni5 3 years 3 weeks

I worked in an investment bank and my group had both of my surprise showers during work hours. We had a small cake and gifts, no games or anything, just a quickie shower (20 min. tops) but it was very nice. There are always a few minutes in a day, doesn't have to be a huge party.

3 years 3 weeks

Totally depends on the office. In a corporate law office with billable hours requirements, it's tough to justify time away from my work for baby showers, b-day parties, etc. If I have to help with/attend a baby shower in the middle of the day, I will have to work an extra hour before I can go home. I don't mind that for people I really care about, but I'd still prefer showers outside of office hours.

3 years 3 weeks

LOL. This is great- we JUST finished having a shower for our coworker. We had games, food, gifts, the whole shebang! We don't have a lot of women in the office and I am the only other woman to have had a shower (but NOT at the office). Since she had complications in her first pregnancy we decided to celebrate her second on (AFTER the baby was born) just to cheer her up and to let her know how much we appreciate her. It also helps that almost all of us have families here and the bosses are very big on kids.!

GregS 3 years 3 weeks

We just had 2 showers here for soon to be moms. We had surprise luncheons at noontime with balloons, cake, salads, pizza, luncheon meats and fixings. She was given a gift card from all of us. Several close colleagues of theirs had already given them their personal gifts at different showers.

Girl Jen 3 years 3 weeks

I chose "after hours" for the simple reason that I work in an ambulance dispatch center, and everyone at our station should either be out on the streets running calls or in the dispatch center during their shifts. If the party happens in an office, and nobody's missing any urgent work or meetings to attend, it wouldn't be a big deal.

3 years 3 weeks

I wasn't working when I had any of my children, but had I been I would have been happy with or without a small gathering. Having said that, I do think it should be done during a lunch break and as something that's rather informal if it's being done at work. There are a lot of things to consider though. If you work in an office full of women who are all having/had or planning on children it's different than if you don't. It should never be something that's expected by the mother-to-be and people should not be required or expected to attend. Always voluntary! You don't know the situation of those around you and how uncomfortable it may make them, especially if they are struggling with infertility. I think it's generally something that needs to be looked at individually for every person/party/office.