Changing the Tables in Men's Restrooms

In America, 50 percent of fathers claimed to be their children’s primary caregiver, as reported by Men Care. Dads, naturally, expect facilities to be up to date with their family-friendly offerings. Yet the disproportionate amount of baby changing stations made available to men remains a pressing issue. The majority are still only made available to women.

So, when baby nature calls, dads must invent all types of maneuvers in order to participate in this co-parenting duty. It's important for facilities with family-friendly services to support the needs of all family segments; single, shared, same-sex and more. Meeting their needs is a smart business investment but also a collective effort to support equality in parenthood.

Savvy Parents

Internet communities of parents are on the high rise. Therefore, businesses must understand how technology affects their customers' behavior. Baby Friendly America is a great example of an influential online parent community. The site was originally created by a concerned father. Thus far it has help other dads find venues with baby changing stations. Over time it has become a highly recognized platform for parents to access well reviewed child-friendly places.

Entire networks of parents seek similar sites for business recommendations and reviews. Pushing more businesses to improve their family-friendly offerings. Entire communities of parents can be earned by providing them one basic service: clean, equally equipped restrooms. If you want to show up on the map for parents, start listening to their unique set of requirements. And make sure to implement those changes. If you don’t pay attention, your competition will.

Get Baby Approved

If your business largely serves parents, ask yourself: does my facility offer equal gender accessibility to baby changing stations? If modifications need to be made, consider installing durable, safe fixtures to help all parents with one of the less pleasant duties of parenthood.

When choosing a model to install be mindful of these important considerations:

• Ensure the station is bacteria and fungi resistant
• Be sure the model is compliant with safety regulations
• Surfaces should be easy to clean but tough for public restroom use
• Look for a changing station with an easy-to-clean safety belt that can be adjusted with one hand
• Add user convenience by picking models that offer hooks to hang personal belongings
• The industry standard is a horizontal changing station, but vertical models are available for restrooms with tight space

Equal accessibility to baby changing stations grants parents with a greater ability to parent equally. Also, your business helps raise the bar for society. As we all work towards achieving true gender equality at work and at home.