Today’s workplaces look different than the workplaces of the 1970s. According to statistics, “As more mothers have entered the U.S. workforce in the past several decades, the share of two-parent households in which both parents work full time now stands at 46%, up from 31% in 1970.” This is exciting!
However, it also means that the workplace of the 2020s needs to adapt to meet the needs of today’s modern parental workforce. In particular, employers need to make it easier for parents to balance work and family life. As reports suggest, “Balancing work and family poses challenges for parents. In fact, more than half (56%) of all working parents say this balancing act is difficult.” As parents strive to be the best moms and dads they can be, they have a giant list of to-dos they must accomplish every day at the same time they are striving to be the best employees possible.
According to The Modern Family Index (2017), “Parents said they would leave employers who do not offer good work-life balance opportunities. In contrast, parents said that employers who afforded them a good work-life balance would get more motivated, loyal, and productive employees.”
Bringing balance to working parents’ lives will make all the difference. If employers find a way to alleviate some of the stress today’s parental workforce faces and encourage work-life balance, they will have happier and healthier employees.
1. Allow Flexible Work Hours
It is easier than ever before for parents to have flexible work hours or to work at home. However, some companies are still not willing to budge from the traditional 9-5 hours. These companies may run into issues with the new generation of parents because they want flexibility – and they know it is possible. A study by FlexJobs found, “82 percent [of parents] say that having school-age kids affects their interest in finding a flexible job” and “52 percent of parents want flexible work to manage family responsibilities.”
2. Offer Benefits Parents Need
Did you know that many working parents prefer better benefits over a raise? Today’s working parents look for companies that offer longer maternity and paternity leave and better benefits packages for a healthy work-life balance. It’s important for companies to think about the types of employee benefits that matter to parents.
For instance, by offering GoKid as an employee benefit, you will help bring back sanity to parents’ daily lives. With GoKid, working parents can form carpools with other trusted families, ensuring their kids get from Point A to Point B without having to rearrange their work schedule, miss work, or run late.
3. Encourage Employees to Take Vacation
If your employees are burnt out, you cannot expect them to do their best work. Unfortunately, burnout is all too common in America, especially among working parents. The New York Times reports, “Of full-time working parents, 39 percent of mothers and 50 percent of fathers say they feel as if they spend too little time with their children. Fifty-nine percent of full-time working mothers say they don’t have enough leisure time, and more than half of working fathers say the same.” That’s why it is critical for employers to encourage their employees to take vacation!
4. Build a Parent-Friendly Work Culture
Anyone in management understands the importance of work culture. But ensuring your work culture is parent-friendly needs to be very deliberate and it can take time. Management must come to terms with whether or not their workplace is welcoming to parents. Do parents feel like they are supported? If not, what needs to change?
5. Provide Helpful Resources
In addition to providing employees with family-friendly benefits, such as GoKid for easy and safe carpooling, employers should also provide parents in the workplace helpful resources like childcare referral services, and counselors. When working parents feel supported, companies will have more dedicated employees.
