Being a working parent in the United States isn’t always easy. The US remains one of only six countries in the world no national paid parental leave policy and mandates only 12 weeks of protected unpaid leave. Because of this, an increasing return to the office and a lack of affordable childcare, some parents may find themselves either scrambling to juggle days off or inevitably quit their jobs amid increasing demands from their little ones.
But there’s hope on the horizon, over the past 10 years, more and more companies have instituted paid leave policies and created more flexible workplace policies to support parents, and a new study shows it’s really paying off. Not only because these policies have been proven to keep more employees in the workforce, but because parenthood motivates employees to be more productive profit drivers.
The reportin collaboration with the working parent advocate The fifth trimester and Viviwhich works with employers to offer affordable childcare solutions, has gathered information and statistics based on many surveys, case studies and personal testimonies from parents.
Overall, the report identified five key findings:
1. Caring benefits lead to an inclusive culture and increase retention for all. According to the survey, while 67 percent of respondents considered leaving their job in the last year, 42 percent of them said they stayed specifically because of their employer’s support for their care. And, overall, 59 percent of respondents say that if they had backup or subsidized child care they would be likely to stay in their position for at least four years (that’s 14 months longer than the average Millennial tenure).
This retention is important because losing a worker is quite costly for a company. Studies show that the cost of losing an employee is at least 33 percent of their salary (or up to 213% of salary for $100,000+ wage earners). Retention saves far more money than the cost of benefits.
2. Family allowances are now a recruitment imperative. As the cost of child care rises, so does the search for employers willing to provide or subsidize it. When we asked what benefits job prospects were looking for, childcare support ranked in the top three sought-after benefits, alongside standards like vacation days and ahead of more traditional benefits like a 401k. Doubling, when respondents were asked whether they would prefer an immediate cash bonus of $10,000 or an ongoing childcare subsidy of $10,000 per year? An overwhelming 9 out of 10 people chose the latter.
3. Parents are business development heroes. “Flexibility can go by many titles, but our research showed there’s something else working parents are looking for: money. And they are motivated to work to earn the bonus, get the commission, close the deal,” the study concluded. When asked which of their goals is most affected by their caregiving responsibilities, respondents ranked “earning more money” as 4.2 out of 5.
4. Parent-friendly practices boost productivity. Flexibility certainly doesn’t hurt though! The study found that parents who were able to work remotely or at odd hours reduced their absences, implemented commuting time or timed their work sprints to match their caregiving hours, increasing their productivity .
Contrary to the perception that caregiving hinders performance, individuals often find themselves more driven when they balance work and caregiving duties. Survey respondents say their caregiving responsibilities motivate them to be “more productive and efficient” – not less – ranking this goal 4.2 out of 5.
And when they have support for their care, they can more easily achieve their goals. “Every day I use my childcare allowance to cover is a day I can sign the contract, take the call and keep our mission moving forward. Every day is important,” noted Marissa, an in-house attorney and one of the parents interviewed for the study.
5. Caregiving benefits unlock parents’ leadership potential. “Our research shows that parents are far more ambitious than the current cultural narrative suggests: 57 percent say that if their employer had back-up or subsidized childcare, they would take a higher-level job.
More parents stepping back into leadership roles is a big win for companies. Filling roles internally increases productivity and team morale. Internal hires cost 18 percent less, are 21 percent less likely to leave, and create a ripple effect that makes other employees stay 41 percent longer. Keeping moms in a position to approach leadership positions is especially profitable. Fortune 500 companies with higher representation of women in leadership deliver 34% higher shareholder returns.
Recognizing the unique challenges that working parents face and providing resources and benefits, such as flexible work arrangements, childcare or paid leave for family emergencies, can help alleviate their concerns and create a more supportive and profitable work environment.
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