The truth is that many working parents dread the summer-juggle, but there are ways employers can help. Angela Stalker, Head of Client Services at Bright Horizons, explains how businesses can ease the strain for employees over the holidays, and the wellbeing and performance rewards resulting from offering support…
For many children, the summer holidays are the most exciting time of the year. But for working parents, it’s often a matter of survival.
No sooner have the Easter holidays and half term been navigated, then parents are faced with finding childcare solutions for another 6 weeks (or more!) off school. The logistical struggle and guilt take a heavy toll on working parents – and cost of living challenges together with the return to office trend are making this summer look harder than ever.
As an employer, you’ll likely 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.
So, what can employers do to ease the strain and ensure your teams are still able to give their best throughout the school holidays?
1. Acknowledge the reality
Three key trends should be ringing alarm bells for employers.
Our Modern Families Index 2024, which surveyed over 3,000 random UK working parents, found this year that working parents and carers saying their employer is supportive of family fell 5 percentage points (down to 72%).
For many families, finding high-quality, affordable and available childcare remains a challenge and a lack of childcare options can manifest itself in burnout, anxiety, and low productivity among working parents. That’s particularly true during the holidays.
Additionally, 2 out of 3 working parents took at least one day off work for childcare reasons at short notice in 2023 – while over a third (34%) said they had changed the hours they were available for work.
2. Ease the strain
With higher living costs and more companies urging employees back into the workplace, working parents increasingly look to their employers for practical support.
3 in 10 working parents said help with childcare costs would make it easier for them to be physically present in the workplace, while 2 in 10 said they needed help with holiday cover to have any office presence at all.
Our advice to employers is to 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 key.
3. Find a solution
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 long summer 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.
4. Offer choice
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:
- Qualified 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 offers 900 holiday club and camp providers where children can enjoy a wide range of enriching activities, make new friends, and learn 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.
5. Reap the rewards
With 42% of working parents looking for a new job in 2024 (an increase of 4 percentage points since 2023) and women disproportionately feeling the strain, family-friendly policies cannot be viewed as a ‘nice to have’.
The best and most successful businesses are making solutions like Back-Up Care a strategic priority and core element of their employee benefits package. And they’re seeing the difference – it’s a game-changer for employers and employees alike:
- Providing Peace of Mind: Including a Plan B in your Plan A gives employees peace of mind. Having reliable and trusted Back-Up Care eases worry in the work-life juggle.
79% of back-up care users say it positively impacts their overall wellbeing.*
- Reliability: Working parents need to plan for the school holidays in advance, but they also need to manage last minute events, such as school closures, illness or breakdowns in care.
70% said they would have missed work if Back-Up Care had not been available.*
- Loyalty: Offering practical childcare support can be a lifeline for working parents and in turn, fosters loyalty, retention and reduces employee absence. The extra support of Back-Up Care is a service that more and more employees look for; and it ranks highly as a key reason to remain loyal to employers.
76% of Back-Up Care users are more committed to their employer.*
- Instil Confidence & Enable Employees to Progress: Family comes first for most working parents and when childcare juggles arise it can feel impossible to commit to career progression.
Half of Back-Up Care users say that it enables them to pursue or accept a higher position with their employer.*
Bright Horizons works with over 400 organisations in the UK to provide access to a wide range of services, including Back-Up Care, resources and expert advice. Data shows that these companies have collectively saved over 110,000 working days per year.
If you are an employer and would like to discover more about Back Up Care you can access our latest Back Up Care + Education Guide. Alternatively to discuss providing Work+Family benefits with one of our team, please do call on 0345 241 5309 or email [email protected]. Find out more by visiting Bright Horizons’ Work + Family Solutions at solutions.brighthorizons.co.uk.
