Becoming parents is a big project.
Patricia Bergès, originally from France, has been part of the globegarden family for a long time. “I almost feel like a dinosaur in the company,” she laughs. The mother of two loves the flexibility of her workplace and is convinced that it is a key to balancing family and career.
Patricia met her husband while working in Germany. Together, they moved to Switzerland. He started a doctorate at ETH Zurich, she launched her career, and at the same time, had her first child. Not returning to work after birth was never up for debate for her. She was not used to this in France. What surprised the young parents after the birth of their first daughter was how limited the childcare options were at the time. “Our children are grown up now. So it’s really been a while – over 20 years. But back then, it was hard to find a place. The relieving call from a childcare came only when my children were going to primary school. Fortunately, we found a place for both of them on our own,” she recalls.
Childcare and division of tasks
It was important for the parents, both of whom were childcare children themselves, to find good childcare for their kids. Also, because Patricia is convinced that childcare is crucial for the overall development of children. “I’m certainly not the expert for babies or toddlers: in childcare, they get so many stimuli: they discover, learn and develop social skills with and from peers. I can’t provide that as a mom alone at home,” says Patricia. She also highlights the importance of the caregivers: “They are wonderfully trained and loving people who do a very important job. They support the children in their development and are reference persons outside their own home.” Later, they enrolled both children in the French school. For very pragmatic reasons: there was already all-day care available back then.
Mastering challenges together
It was important for both parents that they could both work. Because her husband, as a doctoral student, only had a small income. At the same time, the academic environment also allowed the family a lot of flexibility. “My husband and I always divided the tasks equally. We supported each other. He often went to the lab on weekends and conducted experiments. It was great that we lived nearby,” she recalls. She still describes the first two years after birth with a smile as a “challenge”. “The first two years are simply demanding. But it went well as a team. Becoming parents is a big project with a lot of responsibility, which you just can’t prepare for. You have to be flexible and willing to compromise.”
Flexible and loyal work environment
Patricia started at globegarden almost 14 years ago, shortly after it was founded. At first, she had reservations about the industry: “I had no idea what to expect and whether it would suit me,” she says. However, her doubt quickly disappeared as she saw the importance and need in childcare. “What I love about my job is that we actually enable families, but especially women, to do and be what they want every day. I understand this as a certain kind of ‘feminism’ .” She herself has been working at 80 % since the birth of her first child. Wednesday is her day off, which she always devoted entirely to the children. Now she uses the time for herself, as the children have moved out and are studying. “Families need flexibility. You don’t just get it from your employer but also from your entire team.
We all support each other here and step in for one another.”
“What I love about my job is that we actually enable families, but especially women, to do and be what they want every day. I see this as a certain kind of feminism.”