On June 2, AT&T launched a day summer camp at its Dallas headquarters for employees whose school-aged children are free for the summer. The initiative, done in partnership with Bright Horizons, a company that helps employers provide childcare for their employees, followed feedback from workers about how the summer months are difficult. Work doesnt take a pause but school does, leaving many parents with gaps in childcare.
People dont necessarily think of elementary school, for example, as a form of care, but the reality is that when children go to school, parents can go to work, and when schools are closed over the summer, they need to find coverage, says Stephen Kramer, CEO of Bright Horizons.
AT&Ts summer camp is for children ages 4 to 12 and offers rotating activities for kids, including coding, culinary arts, sports, and crafting. Theres a weekly off-site trip to a nearby archery and low-ropes course as well as museum pop-ups and animal visits. The camp, located in the companys downtown Discovery District campus, is open weekdays through August 8 from 7:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m, and parents are free to stop by and visit their children during their workdays.
Matt Phillips, assistant vice president of benefits at AT&T, said the camp has been hugely popular among employees. Were hearing, Its really great to bring my son to work and let them experience what its like for me to work downtown, he says. And to know that (their kids) are safe and cared for well.
[Photo: AT&T]
Through their Bright Horizons benefits, AT&T employees get 10 back-up care days per yeartypically used when parents regular childcare isnt available; for a $15 copay, or $25 for two children, they can send their child to one of Bright Horizons childcare centers. AT&T employees can use their back-up care days to send their kids to the new summer camp, though once theyve exhausted their allotted back-up care days, the price goes up to $99. Summer camp costs vary widely. A study from Summer Camp Hub, a digital guide to summer camps, reports parents pay between $70 and $120 a day for day camps. Steve and Kates Camp, which was acquired by Bright Horizons in 2021 and operates AT&Ts day camp, charges $114 a day at another Dallas location.
Phillips said there hasnt been any pushback about the full price of the day camp from employees, though most seem to be using it more for drop-ins as opposed to consistent care. On average, each child who has attended is there for a little more than 3 days, not necessarily consecutive. Phillips’s own 11-year-old son has attended the camp once and will probably go again before summer ends. Over 380 AT&T employees have used the camp so far, representing 560 unique campers. The camp averages 52 campers per day.
For parents, finding childcare during the summer months is notoriously difficultin addition to being expensive, summer camps often have long waitlists and require sign-ups several months before summer starts. Kramer said theres growing desireand expectationthat employers provide more support to help working parents find care for their children during the summer. He noticed that parents were leaning more on back-up care benefits in the summer, and last year tested an on-site summer camp at Bright Horizons own headquarters in Newton, Massachusetts.
Seeing the huge demand and incredible appreciation for the camp encouraged the company to bring the idea to its clients. Bright Horizons is now working with several other employers to plan on-site summer camps for 2026.
AT&Ts summer camp comes months after it ditched its hybrid work policy and required employees to return to the office full-time. The success of the summer camp has inspired the company to consider how it could help fill other gaps in childcare parents might struggle withspring break, for example. And while making the on-site summer camp a permanent fixture isnt official yet, Phillips said that based on the feedback, theres definitely inertia to do it again.
On-site childcare, including summer camp, is just one part of a growing trend of companies searching for ways to better support and retain working parents, though critics question the sustainability of people relying on their employers for childcare. Some schools have begun to offer on-site daycare as a way to retain teachers. Along with flexible work arrangements that make parents lives easier, childcare subsidies are another perk thats becoming more common. In May, Cakes Body announced it would pay up to $36,000 in yearly childcare costs for employees.
In Aesops fable “The North Wind and the Sun,” the two forces of nature argue over who is stronger. To settle the debate, they test their power on a passing traveler by trying to remove his cloak. The North Wind blows fiercely, but the traveler only clutches his cloak tighter. But the Sun shines gently, gradually warming the man until he willingly takes it off.
The story illustrates that persuasion is often more effective than force, but theres also a lesson about leadership tucked inside it. When you lead with pressure, you create an environment of resistance and insecurity. But when you lead with empathy and humility, others are more likely to follow your direction.
Thats been my experience as CEO for nearly two decades. I often look to an unlikely team as a model for great leadership: our customer service team. Their work is grounded in empathy, responsiveness, and relationship-buildingqualities that earn customer loyalty. When leaders apply the same principles, they foster more engaged, motivated teams, and that benefits the company at every level.
Heres a closer look at what customer service taught me about leadership.
Empathy leads to better results
At my company, we carefully track customer service calls to continually improve the user experience. Im consistently impressed by the complexity of these conversations and by how our team handles them with both tact and empathy.
We know that no one (well, almost no one) wants to spend their time calling customer service. So the team makes it a priority to truly understand a users needs and resolve issues as efficiently and thoughtfully as possible.
Leaders who take a similar approachlistening closely, responding empathetically, and aiming to meet employees needsset the tone for a more engaged workplace with a greater sense of wellbeing. A recent review of studies on empathetic leadership found that its linked to higher employee engagement, lower turnover, and better performance, particularly during uncertain times. Even more compelling, the research showed a pay it forward effect: Empathy from leadership tends to inspire empathy throughout the organization.
Just like a great customer service team, strong leaders make it a practice to listen carefully and respond thoughtfully.
Transparency builds trust
Clear, transparent communication is essential to efficient customer service. It starts with active listening: Representatives must tune in to the root of a user’s question or concern, then summarize it to ensure both parties are on the same page. Then, they can resolve the issue or escalate it appropriately.
Leaders should cultivate this same dynamic with employees. Communication should be a two-way dialogue, where both sides ask questions, listen deeply, and aim for mutual understanding.
The old modelwhere employees operate in the dark while leaders hoard informationis no longer effective. Especially in times of rapid, unpredictable change, open communication is critical to employee wellbeing and performance. Take the advent of AI. In a recent YouGov survey, 49% of U.S. respondents said they felt concerned about AI, while 22% said they were scared. Transparent communication, like explaining the best ways to leverage the technology and continually checking in to see how theyre adapting to it, is a powerful way to quell ongoing concerns.
Adaptability isnt optional
When we interview candidates for customer service roles, one of the top traits we look for is the ability to think on their feet. These employees face novel issues daily and must adapt in real time, finding creative solutions on the fly. So we might ask them to walk us through a conversation regarding a tricky issue. For example, a frustrated user is demanding a refund; the company policy says refunds are only given after 14 days, and its only been 7. How do you proceed?
Adaptability is likewise a requisite trait for todays most effective leaders. Try this adaptability mantra from Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn: first, stay focused on your goal. Then, when facing a challenge, ask yourself, how can I reframe this situation as an opportunity to get closer to my goal? This reframefrom adversity to an opportunity to growgives a window into becoming more adaptable.
Its one thing to think quickly in the moment; its another to pause, zoom out, and reframe problems when the pressure mounts. For leaders, both skills are necessary.
Its easy to get lost in the minutiae of daily issues, especially when juggling the concerns of others. But keeping your broader mission in focusyour own North Starcan help reframe challenges as opportunities. By channeling the mindset of a great customer service rep, leaders can stay on their toes while guiding their teams through uncertainty.
