Over the half-term holidays, working parents often face a juggle of conflicting commitments and priorities. The logistical struggle and guilt can take a heavy toll on working parents – and cost of living challenges together with the return to office are making this harder than ever.
Employers are likely to feel the added pressure of the holidays too. Some employees may take longer periods of leave and those who work through may struggle with overwhelm.
In this article, I will explore how businesses can ease the strain for employees over the holidays, and reap the benefits through performance and productivity.
The Modern Families Index 2024 report reveals that for many parents not enough support is in place and compared to last year, the number of employers willing to extend a supportive arm is waning. Yet, with childcare critical for working parents to continue performing effectively at work, the absence of a solution continues. Last year, 2 out of 3 working parents needed at least one day off for childcare at short notice while over a third (34%) said they had changed the hours they were available for work.
With higher living costs and more companies urging employees back into the workplace, working parents increasingly look to their employers for practical support.
My advice to employers is listen to employees and provide them with the tools they need to thrive. If childcare is hindering your employees’ ability to perform effectively at work, offering support such as Back-Up Care could be a key.
For employees who aren’t able to source childcare over the holidays, access to Back-Up Care with school holiday clubs will mean they can continue to work effectively and manage the juggle, even when faced with the half-term break.
By providing your employees with a Back-Up Care provision – be it school holiday cover or even anytime emergency care – these options will empower them to plan ahead as well as better manage last-minute changes.
The Back-Up Care Advantage
Employers may be oblivious to the strain that lack of adequate childcare is having on their employees before it is too late and manifests itself in burnout, anxiety, and low productivity.
Providing Back-Up Care offers a ‘go-to’ solution for employees that may not have the provision of a supportive family or friends or the access to adequate childcare to ensure they can continue to do the job they love.
Available Back-Up Care Options
Last year saw a rise of 49% in the use of Bright Horizons Back-Up Care support – that’s the highest usage ever. The key is offering employees a range of care choices to enable parents to find the best solution for their children’s specific needs, such as:
- Experienced Nannies: Bright Horizons UK-wide network sources trusted nannies who can care for employees’ children in the comfort of their home, maintaining their routine while engaging them in bespoke activities.
- Holiday Camps and Clubs: Bright Horizons a wide range of enriching activities at over 1600 camp and club locations where children can enjoy making new friends and learning new skills.
- Nationwide Network of Nurseries: For preschoolers, Bright Horizons offers access to a nationwide network of high-quality nurseries, providing uniquely engaging and nurturing environments. Children can even attend their usual nursery (on additional days) as part of our Back-Up Care provision for added convenience and familiarity, as long as their nursery meets our stringent standards.
Back-Up Care provides:
- Peace of mind: Employees are free to focus knowing their loved ones are being looked after.
- Reliable options: Working parents need to plan for the school holidays in advance as well as for the peaks and troughs of childcare provision, when a school is closed, when childhood illness hits or when normal supports fall through. The Back Up Care solution provides a large network of vetted caregivers, offering nationwide childcare in over 3,000 high-quality centres that is accessible whatever the day for when care plans fall through.
- Employee Commitment: Offering next-level childcare support can be a vital lifeline for working parents, in turn fostering loyalty, retention and reducing employee absence.
- Career saving supports: Family comes first for most working parents and when childcare juggles arise it can feel impossible to commit to career progression.
With over 3 in 4 working parents reporting that they would need to carefully consider their childcare options before accepting a promotion or a new job, Back-Up Care is a game-changer for employers looking to retain and attract top talent.
Ian Wells
Ian Wells is Head of Operations and Service Delivery at Bright Horizons, responsible for the Work+Family Operations which includes the delivery of our Back-Up Care programme. Ian is also responsible for the Bright Horizons Customer Service (Contact Centre) teams. Before working at Bright Horizons, Ian was Head of Operations at British Red Cross where his responsibilities included Red Cross Training, a multi-million pound commercial business, delivering first aid and mental health training.
