Anastasia Aslan, expecting her fourth child: 'A family-friendly workplace makes it easier to have more children, if that’s your choice

"It’s so comforting when you can go to work knowing that, just steps away in the same building, your child is in a safe, well-equipped space, supervised, and engaged in educational activities. I can personally confirm that a family-friendly workplace can help families have more children, if they want, while also allowing mothers to build their professional careers", shares Anastasia Aslan, Human Resources Manager at "Panilino," a champion bakery company in Moldova partnering with UNFPA in promoting family-friendly workplace policies.

Anastasia has been working at "Panilino" since 2018. At 33 years old, she is a mother of three and is soon expecting her fourth child.

"I didn’t have brothers and sisters, and I always dreamed of having a larger family. The fact that my company has an in-house childcare center helped me achieve this dream. As a mother, I can return to work sooner, have an income, and still take care of my child," she explains.

Like many countries in the region, Moldova faces a declining birth rate. While most couples express a desire to have 2-3 children, many end up with only one or two due to financial challenges and a lack of childcare services that would allow parents to balance their careers and family life.

'Panilino' is one of the first companies in Moldova to implement family-friendly workplace policies. Since 2022, with support from UNFPA and the Government of Austria, the company has received a $5,000 USD grant to introduce initiatives that support families with young children. Among these initiatives, the company has created a dedicated play and rest area for employees' children, encouraging parents who wish to return early from childcare leave to do so with greater ease.

Anastasia recalls how challenging it was to raise her children:“Until my 3rd child turned one, my mother, who had returned to the country, took care of him.  Afterward, we started searching for a spot in public daycare centers but couldn’t find one. ‘No spots available’ was the response we heard every time. So, we decided to hire a nanny. Expenses rose significantly, and responsibilities became even greater since the nanny cared for the child only until noon, after which his older brother Vasile took over when he came home from school.”

Anastasia enthusiastically remembers the moment UNFPA announced the project to set up a childcare facility at the workplace: "I couldn’t believe that such an old dream could come true. The company’s management immediately supported this initiative, and in a short time, we transformed the meeting room into a rest and play area. A childcare specialist was hired to care for the children during the day. That’s how Alexandru, who was almost three years old at the time, started attending daycare right at the company."

Motivated by the success of this project and the benefits provided to parents at work, Anastasia and her husband decided to plan for a fourth child – a rare choice in Moldova: "After our fourth child is born, I want to return to work soon. The child will attend the company’s daycare. I inform all our employees who are on parental leave now about the available benefits, invite them to visit, and discuss work schedules adapted to their needs. Our goal is to support our female employees, as many of them want to return to work."

Anastasia is even more determined to return to work soon, considering that the new Labor Code allows mothers to work during maternity and parental leave while keeping both their allowance and salary. Additionally, the Labor Code provides employees with flexible work arrangements, including the option to work remotely.

Family-friendly workplace policies, such as in-house childcare and flexible work schedules, make it easier for couples to plan children and enable women to continue their careers without having to choose between motherhood and professional development. UNFPA supports the Government of Moldova in developing such policies, collaborating with national stakeholders to foster long-term demographic resilience and address challenges related to declining fertility, helping couples achieve their desired family size.