For Amy Schwanz, Regulatory Affairs Manager and mother of two active teenage daughters, the responsibilities of work and caring for her family are bound to compete. Finding time to cheer on her daughters at their basketball games, uphold the tradition of weekly pizza nights and plan family road trips while working full-time isn’t always easy; it requires practice, patience and support.
This support should come, in part, from the workplace. As a global medical device company, Boston Scientific understands that in order to succeed in their mission to transform patient lives, all employees must be able to bring their whole selves to work each day. This means not only creating an inclusive environment, but also providing benefits and resources to meet the individual needs of our 41,000 employees across the world.
On top of her busy life, Amy is also helping one of her daughters manage cystic fibrosis. Over the years, the family has had their fair share of scares and emergency appointments, but the burden is lessened through the support of Boston Scientific and her colleagues. With flexible medical and pharmacy benefits, Amy can concentrate on caring for her daughter, without worrying about coverage. Through the support of her team, Amy knows she can trust her colleagues to cover for her when she needs it most.
Amy (right) with husband Mark and daughters Kyra and Brynn
In addition to strong traditional offerings like medical and dental coverage, life and disability insurance, and a 401(k) plan, Boston Scientific also offers fertility services, childcare and elder care support, college planning assistance, advice on volunteer activities and other benefits that enable employees to access the support they need while at home and at work.¹
Michael Wordie, a Territory Manager in Urology and Pelvic Health Sales, found that paid paternity leave was an important attraction in working for Boston Scientific. As he says, “When my daughter Jude was born, going on paternity leave gave me the opportunity to experience her first few months of life first-hand. I was even able to take Jude to Ghana to meet her great grandmother, who was celebrating her 80th birthday. That’s something I will never forget.” A supportive business culture created an opportunity for Michael to prioritize his daughter.
The supportive culture extends beyond robust benefits and options. Boston Scientific’s inclusive policies make it easier for employees to feel comfortable talking about and acting on the issues that matter to them. Earlier this year, Michael submitted a photo of him and his daughter to the #flipthescript initiative, a campaign highlighting positive images of Black and Hispanic men to counteract negative stereotypes. Though the public campaign was a personal endeavor, Michael knew he had the full support of his team and company.
The poster of Michael and Jude, hanging at the Farragut West Metro station, Washington, D.C., was one of the largest and longest running banners of the campaign
Our approach to providing the right benefits for each of our employees is personal. Alex Tham, Director, Total Rewards & Operations in the Asia Pacific region, is responsible for continually reviewing HR policies and benefits to ensure they reflect the support that working parents and caregivers need. As a father of three – ages 14, 16 and 18 – he values a flexible work schedule to allow for time spent with his children and helping them prepare for exams. Knowing that no two families are alike, Alex makes it a priority to learn from his colleagues what support or flexibility they need to succeed at home and at work.
Hearing from our employees’, there’s no question that life as a working parent is rewarding – and it’s through our inclusive culture, policies and benefits that we get to play a role in their stories. As Michael says, parenthood “is the best and most important job in the world.” To learn more about what it’s like to work at Boston Scientific, please visit our careers website.
Last year, Boston Scientific was named a Working Mother 100 Best Companies and Best Company for Dads, and was recognized as one of the Best Adoption-Friendly Workplaces by the Dave Thomas Foundation.
¹For more information about our benefits offerings by region, visit here