The Consult

At HRP, family is part of the culture. That’s one reason Bring Your Child to Work Day has become more than a day for employees to bring their children to the office. Over the years, it has evolved into an annual HRP event designed to give kids a glimpse into what their parents do, introduce them to the many disciplines that make up the company, and, most importantly, have some fun.

The idea started with CFO Joe Cardinale.

“At the time, I had a kid the right age who was bored at home, and I was seeing other companies do it, and thought HRP should too. We’re a family-oriented type of company, and it fits into who we are. As we grow, it can be harder to keep that family culture, so this event is a great idea.”

Today, Samantha Plude, Office Administrator, is the unofficial organizer of the event. What began as a relatively unstructured day has become a planned program of STEAM activities—science, technology, engineering, art, and math—designed around a different theme each year.

“We begin with a theme (typically based on a new movie or something trending). Then, we come up with four or five themed 30- to 60-minute activities for children encompassing all aspects of STEAM,” Samantha says.

The activities have covered plenty of ground over the years. Kids have built habitats for gummy worms, made popsicle-stick boats to learn about buoyancy, created model core samples with colored sand, and hunted for “emeralds” as part of a Minecraft-themed scavenger hunt. Volunteers from across HRP have also developed activities that introduce children to the work their parents do—from geology and engineering to IT, environmental services, and health and safety.

The day has come a long way from simply bringing a child to the office and hoping they stay occupied. Samantha remembers her own childhood Bring Your Child to Work Days, when she would spend the day shadowing her mother. When she first brought her daughter to HRP, the experience was less structured. Eventually, Samantha and another colleague gathered the children together with art supplies, fidgets, and a movie.

“From that point on, I made it my mission to revamp the Event into something fun and educational for the children,” says Samantha.

Now, the day is built entirely around the kids—and giving them a better understanding of the people they know as Mom and Dad.

In our coverage of these events over the years, HRP has always asked the important question: What does your parent do at HRP? The answers range from “I don’t know” to “they work on a computer” to “she works at industrial water sites.”

The hope is that those answers become a little more informed—and that the experience gives children a glimpse of the possibilities that exist within the working world.

“My hope is that the children leave each summer feeling a little closer to their parents, excitedly talking about all the new friends they’ve made, the things they’ve learned, maybe a bit closure to knowing what they want to do when they grow up,” Samantha says.

Check out our YouTube page for event highlights from past years.

2022 Bring Your Kid to Work Day VLOG

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