Carolyn Broderick never thought of herself as much of a networker. Naturally shy, this mom of three girls, ages 24, 6 and 4, always found it hard to make new connections on her own as a systems analyst at Prudential, the Newark, NJ–based insurance and financial planning company. But then Prudential’s Women in Finance Network turned her around. Designed to encourage women to meet and share their strategies for success, the popular group appealed to Carolyn’s sense of giving. “That was the start of my networking,” says Carolyn, 44, who has since joined Prudential’s Women Unlimited leadership training programs and connected with eight women directors. “Now I’m helping other people and really enjoying it, and I’m learning a lot more about the business.”

Networking, glad-handing, schmoozing. Who has the time or energy? For many working moms, the answer is “Not me.” But in an economy where employees are working overtime to hold on to jobs, taking on added responsibilities as their company’s workforce shrinks or searching for new gigs after being laid off, professional networking is now more important than ever—for both employees and their employers.

Indeed, studies find employees who network are happier with their jobs. New connections inspire ideas. And staffers who feel connected are more likely to stay with their employer. For these reasons and more, Working Mother 100 Best Companies like Prudential, Texas Instruments, Capital One Financial and Accenture have launched innovative networking programs.

“It’s very much about making people feel connected to others and helping them to improve their skills in collaboration,” explains Judy Pahren, senior vice president for development and diversity and the executive sponsor of the Women’s Network at Capital One.

Female employees seem to appreciate the helping hand when it comes to networking. Career experts note that while men easily take the lead when it comes to hobnobbing, women often feel uncomfortable about reaching out to new colleagues, preferring instead to build real friendships first. “Women feel like it’s disingenuous, like they’re trying to get something from someone,” says

Peggy Klaus, president of the workplace communications and leadership training firm Klaus & Associates in Berkeley, CA. “But men don’t have any problem with this. They’re very clear and direct about what their goal is and what they need to do.”

It’s not that women don’t already have networks: From parks and playdates to office parties and professional groups, women make new connections daily. The key, say experts, is knowing how to put those connections to work and build new ones in the workplace. To help, our 100 Best Companies have begun offering their female employees more informal and fun opportunities for women to get together so that it’s easier for them to build lasting work relationships.

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In a slightly zany twist on speed dating, Prudential’s Speed Networking events bring junior and senior women together in rapid-fire, five-minute pairings. The women come prepared to introduce themselves and ask two questions to jump-start conversations that they can finish later, encouraging the beginning of a relationship. (For instance, a senior VP might ask a junior employee, “So, what’s next for you? What work would you like to be doing in three years?”)

At Northwestern Memorial Health-Care, a Chicago-based hospital, women managers in a Women’s Leadership Group connect through events like book clubs and seminars. And in a welcome nod to multitasking moms everywhere, McLean, VA–based Capital One Financial has created Mentor Walks that pair women associates with more senior advisors, offering a chance to chat while getting a little exercise. The goal, explains Pahren, is to create “an inclusive environment where everyone feels supported and can do their best work.”

In a more intimate approach, Dallas-based Texas Instruments has created the Insights Group, which invites 14 high-ranking female managers to meet with CEO Richard Templeton periodically over the course of the year to offer advice on creating a more woman-friendly culture. Such programs help women find their networking niche, says Tera Martinez, who runs student programs as part of TI’s HR team in Dallas and is the mother of two boys, ages 8 and 4. There’s an upside for the company, too. “If you build strong relationships within the company, it’s going to encourage you to want to stay,” says Martinez, herself a member of TI’s Women’s Initiative Network, which sponsors seminars and brown bag lunches to help members understand the inner workings of the company.

Joanna Barsh, a director at the New York City–based consultancy McKinsey & Co. and coauthor of How Remarkable Women Lead, agrees, noting that a new McKinsey survey of 2,000 male and female executives found that execs with the strongest skills in making connections also tend to be the most highly satisfied with their jobs and the most talented, with 73 percent considering themselves high performers. By contrast, among those execs with the weakest networking skills, only 35 percent viewed themselves as high performers. Says Barsh, “Networking is good for your own joy and satisfaction at work.”

Easy Does It

Though growing your network takes time, the good news for working moms is that some of the most effective networking strategies are slow, steady ones that fit into the regular workday. However, they require making a concerted effort and following up. Like successful male networkers, “women have to explicitly think about their network, map it out and target people they want to develop a relationship with,” says Barsh. To do that, Barsh’s research found, the most successful corporate networkers consistently use the same three strategies:

• Reach out to a targeted list of contacts on a regular basis by, for example, emailing a relevant article or setting up a time to have coffee.
• Develop mutually beneficial working relationships with colleagues and look for chances to work in a reciprocal way instead of going it alone.
• Cultivate “sponsors” internally, such as influential bosses or mentors who like your work and can champion your efforts.

The key, says Barsh, is to take time to be proactive. To that end, many 100 Best Companies encourage employees not only to attend corporate events but to keep in touch as well. Explains Maria Lin, program director for human resources at Northwestern Memorial: “We look to individuals once they have made connections to take it upon themselves to get together.”

However, if you haven’t put much time into networking over the years, don’t rush to overcompensate, cautions Andrea Nierenberg, principal of the Nierenberg Group, a consulting and executive training firm in New York City. Trying to squeeze in a weekly conference or event to make up for lost time will probably be counterproductive. “It can be emotionally exhausting,” she says. “If you’re out there meeting people all the time, then when do you have time to build the relationships you do have?”