What Working Parents Need to Succeed
As a young mother, I had the benefit of working in-house for a hospital that had a daycare center on the premises. What a relief that was, to know that I was only a few steps away from my children, and could travel to and from work with them. I usually picked up dinner from the hospital cafeteria, which was reasonably priced and at that time, offered homemade entrees, so that a delicious dinner was magically on the table when I stepped through the door at home.
Today’s mothers and fathers are not having that same experience, and it is taking a toll on their career advancement, their personal lives, and the lives of the children. It is also making it more costly for companies to replace workers who have to exit due to the inability to manage childcare and work obligations. Not a good situation for anyone.
Care.com estimates that a majority of American families spend around $18,000 a year on childcare. Not only is that expensive — but even finding openings in childcare centers has become notoriously difficult after the Pandemic saw more than 40,000 workers exit the childcare field.
Forty-six percent of low-income moms and 38% of middle to high-income moms reportedly spend more than 30% of their paycheck on childcare, according to the M.O.M. report. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services considers daycares affordable if it costs 7% or less of a family's income.
How can employers help? Here are a few ideas:
- Build on-premises childcare centers within your workplaces, or contract with local providers;
- Offer childcare subsidies;
- Have a resource list of childcare providers;
- Consider paid family leave time, and
- When a child is sick, if a childcare provider cancels, or an accident happens at school, allow employees to be there without losing pay or being penalized by management.
You can read more in Employee Benefit News about what working parents need to succeed: https://www.benefitnews.com/news/moms-need-child-care-pto-and-upskilling-to-succeed