Childcare is not just expensive, it’s also scarce. Parents are experiencing this pain point across the US. It’s no secret; families are struggling to find proper care for their children due to extensive waitlists for daycare centers as well as persistent shortages of affordable options. The childcare crisis stems from many factors, such as nearly half the country living in childcare deserts and stagnant wages in the industry. When parents are struggling, everyone feels the effects. With parents struggling to balance childcare and work, employers are losing out too, with each employee leaving the workforce costing almost $5,000 to replace them. The problems surrounding childcare affect us all, have been a glaring problem for years and don’t seem to be going away. So how can employers help?
It starts with the understanding that providing backup care is not enough.
Care Coach Chelsey Begnaud talks with parents daily, and she’s noticed their struggles to find healthcare persist even with backup care: “The most common experience families have is backup care options still not having enough space or sitter availability to accommodate the member. If they do get help, oftentimes the sitter is not a great fit for their family.”
Backup care only solves part of the problem; according to a study done by Fortune Magazine, “many companies don’t offer benefits that are comprehensive enough to actually curb the current childcare crisis.” When families are in need of long-term, permanent care for their children, they’re left to research, vet and apply for the ever-dwindling childcare facilities in their area alone. That takes hours out of their parental responsibilities and workdays to find the right fit for their child.
“At Cariloop, we have families reaching out who have already attempted finding childcare on their own but haven’t had any luck. Researching daycares and calling several places can be very time-consuming,” Begnaud said. “I have talked to families who have reached out to 40-50 daycares before they were able to find something that had availability and space.”
How can we expect full-time working parents to research, call and vet 40-50 childcare centers without losing hope?
There is no cure-all solution to this problem, but employers can help their employees navigate this ongoing crisis with a holistic approach to employee benefits.
Flexible Schedules
This can take the form of robust leave programs, flexible working such as optional remote work or even subsidized in-home childcare. According to a white paper from the Rosalynn Carter Institute: “Flexible work arrangements are often touted as being a key mechanism for alleviating work-family conflicts and more generally for achieving benefits such as improved hiring, retention and work productivity.” Some work options are better than others for parents, so you may find that surveying the parents in your organization provides a more clear picture of what options truly allow for them to be most present and productive with work.
Survey Your Caregiving Employees
On the topic of surveying your people, it’s important to recognize that many parents struggle to come forward with their challenges in fear of retribution or unfavorable treatment at work. They don’t want to cause issues, and they don’t want to be seen as high-maintenance. But their needs are real, and in order for them to feel supported, they need resources that will help them with the challenges they face.
Have regular, honest and open discussions with your workforce. Gather information on the best ways leaders can create a feeling of safety, inclusion and a caring culture for parents. You will likely find in your discussions that there is a need for more flexibility in when work gets done, discussion around growing one’s family, and reassurance that their organization respects their caregiving demands just as much as their professional talent.
Caregiver Support Benefits
Yes, parents are caregivers too, and they deserve to feel supported when they struggle with needs like childcare. When parents are given a caregiver support solution through their employer, they’re given access to personalized guidance, professional support and critical caregiving resources.
This is a newer development in the health benefits space, and many modern organizations are using caregiving benefits to aid in talent acquisition and retention as well as to show their investment in a culture of inclusion for all types of employee lifestyles and scenarios. It’s benefits like caregiver support that are helping employees clear space to do their work better, showing a real difference in satisfaction metrics like productivity, commitment, reduced absenteeism, job satisfaction, reduced stress and so much more.
With a dedicated coach on their side, parents are able to explore creative options for their child’s care when traditional options are not available. Caregivers support saves them hours of calling on the phone, vetting facilities and stress over finding the right fit.
At Cariloop, we’re dedicated to providing working parents with the tools and resources they need to be more successful at work and be more present in their home lives. Our licensed and certified Care Coaches support them in their search for childcare as well as any other life event in their caregiving journey. We meet them where they are, providing inclusive support to working families who deserve to never go through the childcare crisis alone.
If the working parents in your organization are overwhelmed or stressed about finding resources during the childcare crisis, a Cariloop Care Coach is here to help. Contact us to learn more about how our Care Coaches can support your employees in finding childcare for their families.