Employees with access to company childcare do more in-office hours

Employers offering family support see greater in-office time from employees, according to a survey by Bright Horizons.

The childcare solutions provider found that 53% of companies offering perks such as sponsored nursery places and back-up care saw employees’ hours at the office increase last year, with 65% of those staff working more than half of their time in a central workplace.

Eight-five per cent said that employer-sponsored childcare helps them work in the office, and four-fifths reported that this increased their productivity. They also rated their employer 20 percentage points higher in terms of how supportive of family they were.

Four-fifths said using back-up care improved their productivity, and 82% said this enhanced their wellbeing. This included services such as virtual tutoring and elder care as well as support for emergency childcare.

Unsurprisingly, 76% of people who increased their time in the office also had to up their childcare as a result, with a slight disparity between men (74%) and women (78%).

The company’s 2024 Modern Families Index also revealed that nine in 10 workers with employer-sponsored childcare found it easier to return to work after the birth or adoption of a child.

Jennifer Liston-Smith, head of thought leadership at Bright Horizons said: “As business focus scans across wellbeing to productivity, and the trend for more in-person collaboration continues, the smartest employers are ensuring they prioritise family care. Those employers that remove the barriers differentiate themselves in employee experience as well as productivity.

Childcare issues can make the difference between someone staying in a role and leaving, the research found. More than two-fifths (42%) of those questioned in the Bright Horizons study were looking for new employment, with family support high on their list of priorities.

Liston-Smith added: “Reassuringly, we can see that by providing employees with access to meaningful and inclusive family support, all parties can enjoy the benefits of all ways of working, including being together face-to-face.

“Employees with access to family support report higher levels of productivity, enhanced performance and improved employee wellbeing, engagement and retention.”

Family care support extends beyond childcare, Bright Horizons pointed out. Employees with adult or eldercare made up around 25% of those involved in the survey, and almost half experienced care breakdowns impacting at least one day’s work.

Almost a fifth had pet care responsibilities (rising to 30% for the over-55s), and 51% have needed pet care to attend offices and workplaces.

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