Comcast NBCUniversal is a global media and entertainment company. We employ people from different backgrounds, at different life stages and in a range of different roles across the world. We are committed to providing a workplace that supports our employees and their families. We believe that families come in all different forms and we are committed to providing the support and resources for our team members to manage fulfilling roles, while also feeling comfortable putting themselves and their families first.
Comcast NBCUniversal is a true global business. We are committed to ensuring that our employees have access to flexible work policies to help them balance their work and carers responsibilities.
Parental leave
Flexible work policies and practices
Family Wellbeing
Family Care
Each year we participate in the Great Place to Work survey to help us understand our we can better support and engage our employees. In 2020, we were certified as a Great Place to Work supporting that the changes we have been making are having a positive impact. We have seen through the COVID year a complete transformation of the way we work. We have seen our employee and leaders engaged, committed, more inclusion across our locations with most things being recorded and available on demand and our businesses thrive during a tough period for our industry. Embracing asynchronous working and family friendly meeting times, as well as the addition of paid leave opportunities for caregiving have allowed team members to be productive in work and in life.
Sheila Jayadev I Producer I Mum of 2
At the time I was pregnant with my first, I had just made my first feature film with Matchbox Pictures, part of the Comcast NBCUniversal Group, after having worked for around 10 years in the film industry. It was a turning point in my career, and I wanted nothing more than to continue building my career despite having a baby; a daunting prospect in an industry known for high intensity production periods and lots of travel. Working for Matchbox Pictures made that ambition possible. Along with having an incredibly supportive partner.
Some of my best memories of the first 6 months of my child’s life was continuing to enjoy all that I loved about being a producer – I attended film festival premieres for my feature film, I travelled to Tasmania to attend a story workshop on a Matchbox TV project, feeding my child in the back of the room every three hours. I felt these moments were not simply accepted and accommodated by my colleagues; they were celebrated.
When our child was one year old, Matchbox offered me a part-time role to manage the development of their feature film slate. It was the perfect role for me; being in development (as opposed to production) meant I could work my own hours, work from home and generally manage my week. It allowed me to stay connected with what was happening with the company and the industry generally.
The next career turning point was when Matchbox offered me a producing role on a high-profile television series that would be shooting interstate. I couldn’t believe that the company was offering it to me when they knew that I not only had a toddler, but moreover, I was hoping to have a second child soon. Again, it felt that my family situation was so far from being an impediment to career opportunities. My childcare costs were covered while I was interstate, which made a huge difference.
And then I was pregnant with my second whilst shooting the TV series. Flying back and forth for doctor appointments, juggling production, a toddler that missed having mum around – it was probably the most challenging period in my career to date. I always felt that Matchbox had my back, offering support, encouragement and generally checking in to see how I was going.
I had been working as a contractor for Matchbox, so it came as a lovely surprise when Comcast NBCUniversal offered me paid maternity leave after my second was born. It wasn’t something I was technically entitled to, but it was offered in recognition of my work with the company over the years. It was a gesture that made me feel really valued.
Our second got to enjoy the perks of the film industry when she accompanied me to the Berlin Film Festival at three months of age. It was exhilarating travelling with her for work, and another reminder that I didn’t have to disappear just because I had a baby.
I now work for Matchbox part-time as a producer. My hours are flexible, and I can work from home. I feel lucky that I don’t have to think twice about collecting my kids early from daycare, or if a little hand appears waving at the screen during a Teams call. The trust, the autonomy and the genuine interest my colleagues and managers show in my kids’ milestones, is something that I feel deeply lucky to have in my work life.
Parents At Work acknowledge and pay respect to the past, present and future Traditional Custodians and Elders of this nation and the continuation of cultural, spiritual and educational practices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
