Flexible Work and Motherhood - Meet Georgie Cashin

Georgie Cashin’s solutions to meeting work and parental obligations are based on communications.

After almost 10 years at Booz Allen Hamilton, associate Georgie Cashin has served a wide range of clients. These days, you’ll find her providing business analysis services on the strategic business intelligence team. But it’s not just her responsibilities at work that have changed: Her three children—ages 5, 3, and 1—keep life at home unpredictable.

A flexible schedule helps her tackle the changes. She took every other Friday off after her first child was born. Then she started arriving and leaving earlier. And now, “I started teleworking several days a week, which has been phenomenal. I don’t stress about getting across town in time to pick up the children from school, and I get an extra hour to work when I’m not commuting.”

One-third of her team already telework successfully, so as her family grew, her manager approached her with the telework option. She tries to stay flexible to meet her colleagues’ and clients’ needs as well. “I have regular face time with my team, and go to the office on unscheduled days if that’s necessary. My manager trusts that I’ll get the job done.”

Georgie advises soon-to-be parents to weigh different solutions to achieving a work/life balance and ease into the solution you choose. “Talk to your manager if you’d like to adjust your schedule or are overloaded with work. Listen to the message, whether or not it’s what you want to hear. Communicate, respond to any concern with professionalism, and execute your work responsibilities with the excellence you’re known for.”

Booz Allen provides many benefits for parents, but one of the best, Georgie says, is its 24-week maternity leave policy. And since becoming a mother, she’s gained additional benefits within and outside the firm. “As a mom and as a member of Booz Allen’s family, I’m more grounded. I’m more aware that everyone has something going on in their lives, whether it’s caring for children or an aging parent, dealing with illness, or another issue. It’s made me more compassionate.”

What surprised her most about being a mom? “How it’s possible for your heart to walk around outside of your body,” she says. “And how I say the very same things to my kids that my parents said to me—things that I swore I’d never say!”

story posted October 1, 2008