Employers can help working parents and employees in general through a few simple steps. Now, more than ever, companies that provide benefits for working parents play an important role in our society.
The list of ways companies help support working parents is endless. Some companies offer flexible work hours and space to have children while on the job; others offer unlimited paid maternity or paternity leave to employees; still, others provide on-site daycare services or allow employees room outside of the office area for childcare. It is the personal decision of each employee to decide how they balance family life with their professional one. However, employers can help ease this transition by providing a safer work environment. Also, enough time during the day to be around children without neglecting their responsibilities at work. So, let’s talk about some realistic and practical ways that employers can help working parents:
The employer’s playbook to support working parents-
- Know your parent employee population- when it comes to the support of working parents, all companies are not created equal. Understanding specifically who your parent employee population is will help identify their needs and how they’re supported by your company.
- Offer a variety of benefits- an employer may offer daycare and health care benefits. But companies can also tap into other resources to support parents. These may include on-site fitness classes or discounted memberships at local gyms, or discounts on daycare facilities and summer camps.
- Take care of yourself- employers need to be mindful of stress levels among employees who have dependents at home. Many of these employees are able to adjust their work schedules. However, others may be struggling with how to balance work and family responsibilities. Employers need to think about ways that they can give their employees the opportunity to take breaks. It may be a free day or weekend away from the office.
- Know when to step in – knowing when employers should try to help out. Also, when it is best for them to stay out of it altogether is the key. Take into consideration how long your employees have been with your company. Also, what type of employees they are, and the kinds of skills they bring to the company.
- Look at all aspects of your company- while some employers are able to offer all kinds of benefits, they may not be able to offer something as simple as unpaid leave, which is just as important for working parents. It’s important when looking at how to help out working parents that employers remember to look at all aspects of their business.
There are many things that companies can do to support employees after the pandemic, ranging from allowing employees unpaid leave for the days they stay home being sick and having sick days off in general.
A company’s greatest asset is its people, and the pandemic should not harm that connection. Employers play a crucial role in supporting working parents now, and even more so after the pandemic. Many companies are looking into incorporating new and more family-friendly policies as well as providing a daycare center within the workplace.
While these employee benefits are beneficial in their own right, they’re also invaluable to working parents and their families. Regardless of which path companies decide to take in the future, one thing is certain: how we all choose to support working parents now and during the pandemic will have a lasting impact on society.
Employers can be both proactive or reactive when it comes to supporting parents; but either way, employers should have some sort of plan in place for employees who need time off for things such as picking up their children from daycare or for regular doctor’s appointments. Parental Leave policies and parental leave rates have become an important topic of discussion in recent years. The United States’ parental leave policies are among the most liberal in the world. As of 2010, four states, New Jersey, New York, California, and Rhode Island do not require employers to provide any paid time off to their employees when they are on parental leave. However, these states have been labeled as ‘Leave-Makers’ because they have very high parental leave rates.
The rate of maternity or paternity leave provided by companies is relatively low and varies significantly among industries and occupations. Many businesses in the United States do not offer paid maternity leave, making it difficult for many working parents to care for their infant children while they are at work. However, there is a growing push by both employers and workers to increase paid maternity and paternity leave. “There are also signs that parental leave policies may be becoming more generous as more companies adopt family-friendly policies.” There have been multiple reports that some companies have put these policy changes into place as a way of competing for top talent.
Paid time off for pregnancy and nursing has become the most common benefit offered by employers. The United States has the lowest take-up rate for maternity leave of any developed country, according to a 2013 report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The OECD recommends that countries, such as the United States, provide 12 months of paid maternity leave by 2015. In addition, nearly one-third of employers in the United States do not offer any paid sick leave to their employees, which means that many parents fall ill while they are at work.
Conclusion-
It is important for Employers to Support Working Parents as it benefits both the employer and employee. It is vital for us to take measures to support working parents today and after the pandemic hits. This will not only help them get through the pandemic but give them a better work-life balance, which will benefit them in the long run. This all stems back to flexible work arrangements and providing parental leave benefits as well as on-site daycare facilities. Providing a child care center at work not only gives working mothers a place to take care of their children while they are at work but also allows them to continue working full-time without having to worry about finding someone else who can pick their child up from daycare or miss a doctor’s appointment.
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