Some assume it’s easy to balance children and work throughout the workday, others have mentioned offhand their remote workers don’t require childcare benefits.
By Jessica Chang | May 03, 2023 at 10:19 AM on www.benefitspro.com
It was March 2020, and I was in a panic. COVID protocols seemed ever-changing, my children were glued to my side, and suddenly I was operating my business from home. Was I expected to tend to my family while running my company? Was that even possible?
We have come a long way in the last few years. But as a mother, it can still be jarring to hear other founders talk about their working families. Some assume it’s easy to balance children and work throughout the workday, others have mentioned offhand their remote workers don’t require childcare benefits.
Yes, some employers still seem to think that employees don’t need childcare if they work remotely or on a hybrid basis. But let me be very clear: The reality is quite the opposite.
Remote flexibility does not equal childcare
As parents with young children know all too well, it’s not easy to work from home while simultaneously taking care of your kids. In fact, it’s impossible.
Whether caring for an infant, managing the mood swings of a toddler, or constantly keeping your preschooler fed and entertained, you cannot maintain productivity at work without proper childcare.
Despite this, the misconception lives on. WeeCare.co recently conducted a survey among U.S. employers to determine why they don’t yet provide childcare benefits for employees. The responses were a bit unexpected — and alarming for those of us who have actually attempted to work from home with kids running around the house:
- “We are almost 95% remote — therefore we have no childcare needs at this time,” says an HR coordinator from a software company.
- “Transparently, we are a fully remote organization. I don’t see the appetite for adding childcare benefits being too huge,” says an executive from a staffing and recruiting agency.
- “Most of the employees are working remotely. As far as the remaining group of employees, they mostly work a hybrid schedule where they’re only going into the office one or two days a week,” says a recruiter from an electronic payments company.
Having the flexibility to work remotely does not mean your need for affordable, accessible childcare disappears! Remote work simply removes the commute from the equation. No commute, sure, but still all the same childcare responsibilities.
So why is this way of thinking so dangerous? Lack of childcare for working parents increases mental health risks, including anxiety, depression, and relationship conflict. Childcare challenges also disproportionately impact women, causing many to leave the workforce entirely.
Mental health: Emotional burnout is a real risk for employees, leading to anxiety and depression. Working parents feel like they always need to be “on” — whether for their family or their job. Without consistent childcare, burnout is more likely for employees.
Relationship conflict: Burnout and mental health challenges can damage relationships, with partners, co-workers, and worst of all, children. It’s best to prevent these types of relationship conflicts whenever possible.
Job satisfaction: Mental health issues and relationship conflict are compounded by lower productivity at work. The result? A corresponding drop in job satisfaction. Severe burnout can even impact employees’ income, causing more stress at home.
Flexible childcare benefits are the solution
Because the consequences of inadequate childcare are so drastic, employers who only offer remote flexibility aren’t cutting it. Don’t get me wrong. Providing remote and hybrid options is a great start! In fact, we are now fully remote at my company, but remote flexibility is the baseline — not mutually exclusive with adding childcare benefits for employees.
Take it from me: Working families need support. They need employer-sponsored childcare benefits that are flexible, accessible, and affordable.
Flexible employee childcare benefits programs are the best solution because they are:
Helpful for employees: Finding childcare is difficult. Believe me, I have firsthand experience. Accessing affordable childcare is even worse. Busy working parents need childcare assistance from their employers to feel supported, resolve childcare woes, and stay productive on the job.
Helpful for employers: When employees don’t have childcare benefits, employers face challenges like absenteeism, presenteeism, retention, and less competitive recruitment. Childcare benefits for employees can address these problems and boost the bottom line.
Designing the right childcare benefits program for your workforce
There are several factors companies should keep in mind when deciding on their childcare benefits program. Whether your employees are remote, hybrid, or on-site, working families are looking for practical support to help them with their childcare needs.
What are parents looking for in their childcare?
Affordability: Childcare is incredibly expensive and out of reach for many families. Receiving financial support for childcare costs can be a game changer for struggling working parents.
Flexible hours: Although they may be working from home, your remote employees still need flexible hours with their chosen childcare provider. Early drop-off times, later pick-up windows, and evening/weekend care enable parents to balance their home and work schedules. This is especially vital for employees working non-traditional hours and overnight shifts!
Local caregivers: Parents want to find childcare close to home, so choosing a large childcare network with wide coverage is key. Depending on how geographically dispersed your workforce is, a childcare benefits program with urban, suburban, and rural coverage will be important.
Availability for children of all ages: Childcare needs don’t magically vanish once children enter kindergarten. Parents of school-aged children face childcare challenges due to the misaligned school/work schedule, not to mention school holidays, teacher workdays, and summer breaks.
The time for childcare is now
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: No one would expect, for example, a doctor to be able to perform surgery while holding her baby. Or a construction worker to build a house while teaching a child to read. And yet many employers remain attached to this notion that childcare support is only relevant for employees who carry out their jobs in an office environment.
It’s simply not true, and it’s time we help get working families the help they deserve.
Jessica Chang is the CEO and co-founder of WeeCare.co, the largest childcare network in America.