The ability to work from home may not be a sufficient lifeline for working parents struggling to juggle family and work responsibilities. Without access to childcare, the overwhelming majority of working parents report having to work well into the night and on weekends, even when working from home. Added new research has found that working from home during the pandemic improved work-life balance for staff over the age of 55, while those below retirement age more often struggled to cope.
To protect against staff turnover and burnout, HR leaders must do more to fortify their hybrid working infrastructure. For working parents and women especially, childcare is critical to achieving work-life balance. A global survey released by Deloitte earlier this year found that 1 in 4 working women rank childcare support as the most important benefit employers can offer to improve gender equality.
Having access to regular, reliable and emergency backup childcare offers a mental relief and productivity boost that flexible working and added parental leave cannot foster alone. We already know from the start of the pandemic how difficult it is for working parents to juggle remote work with childcare and homeschooling.
Despite the progress made with vaccinations, working parents are still at risk of having their children sent home from school at a moment’s notice. The working mums forced out of the workforce during the pandemic are testament to the limitations of home-working with poor childcare access.
A Suitable Solution For HR Leaders
Now is the time for employers to begin expanding support for the women and men in their organisations balancing family and work demands. By providing access to flexible, on-demand childcare support we can help keep women in the workforce, and support the performance and advancement of working parents.
Having children and a career doesn’t have to be a choice with Bubble For Work. Schedule a free consultation to learn how our family support platform can help your organisation.
