Bonding with fellow employees is difficult when your only interactions happen in boardrooms or at copy machines. Mothers who enroll in the 26 regional chapters of this information services provider’s massive affinity group, the Women’s initiative for Networking and success, take a different tack: they go on weekly walks together (Washington, DC), share breakfast with female leaders (East Windsor, NJ), create videos on women’s issues (Greater Ohio) and sign up for programs on public speaking (Dubuque, IA). They also talk about their workplace experiences at the group’s annual leadership conferences and join in Follow the sun, a global networking event that drew 1,300 women last year. To make more time for personal activities, 92% of all workers informally use flex schedules.

Chairman, President & CEO Harold “Terry” McGraw III

Executive VP, HR John Berisford

Women managers/execs 39% 

Women among top earners 38% 

Women hires in 2010 50% 

Average weeks of fully paid maternity leave offered 7 

Allows new moms to “phase back” into work with reduced hours? Yes

Offers affinity group for new mothers? No

Offers backup childcare? Yes

Employees working flexibly 100%

In July 2009, The McGraw-Hill Companies piloted reverse mentoring, in which junior employees guide senior ones; it is now rolling out companywide.

Expectant moms have struck gold with this information services provider's new Maternity Management program, which streamlines doctors' appointments and nursing consultations to take them smoothly from conception through delivery and birth. If women are struggling with infertility, they will find that they are now covered for up to $20,000 in services provided by recognized Centers of Excellence. When they become pregnant, they're paired with a maternity nurse who can answer their questions; if they're experiencing a high risk pregnancy or if special care is needed, a neonatal nurse case manager will be there to guide them. The feeding process gets easier, too, with the company's lactation coaches and $150 breast-pump subsidies; there are lactation facilities at most sites, with one in the New York City office offering a "living room" that builds communion among breast feeding women. Inexperienced moms have time to perfect their nursing technique before heading back to work, since maternity leave lasts 26 weeks. In 2009, seven of those weeks were fully paid, up from four the year before.

Chairman, President & CEO Harold "Terry" McGraw III

VP, Diversity & Inclusion Terri D. Austin

Women managers, senior managers and corporate execs 41%

Women among top earners 29%

Women on board of directors 18%

Women corporate executive hires in 2009 33%

Women participating in management or leadership training in the past year* 14%

Women participating in formalized executive succession planning last year* 14%

Women promoted last year who utilized a formal flexible work arrangement 91%

Do formal compensation policies reward managers who help women advance? No

*Percentages reflect number of women participants versus company’s total female workforce.

Nearly 5% of new hires at the McGraw-Hill Companies last year were women who had left the workforce after having children.

Mothers take an active role in shaping their own careers at this New York City–based information services provider. Individual and group mentoring programs are so popular here that new openings fill up within minutes. More than one third of all female employees belong to the Women’s Initiative Network, and the number of women in senior manager jobs has risen 30% in five years. Advancing workers are also eligible for high-level mentoring and executive coaching through an 18-month leadership program. Finding help with the kids is a cinch, thanks to on-site child care at national sales conferences, widespread child-care chain discounts and inexpensive backup care offered in-home and through local centers, available 12 times per year. Parents with an annual income of less than $85,000 can receive a $1,000 match in their pretax dependent-care accounts.

Chairman, President & CEO: Harold “Terry” McGraw III

Executive VP, HR: David L. Murphy

Women managers/execs: 42%

Women among top earners: 27%

Women on board of directors: 17%

Women corporate executive hires in 2008: 17%

Women participating in management or leadership training in the past year: 50%

Women participating in formalized executive succession planning last year: 35%

Women promoted last year who utilized a formal flexible work arrangement: 73%

Formal compensation policies reward managers who help women advance: Yes

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