Child Care Challenges

Working with Child Care Challenges

When the pandemic hit in March, child care facilities and schools closed, transforming how employees worked and lived, and disrupting schedules at home. Most families recognized that juggling remote work and home responsibilities for an extended period of time was not sustainable. Unfortunately, in fall 2020, COVID-19 cases were fluctuating, and schools returned to virtual learning forcing many parents to make difficult child care decisions.

The current crisis has prompted employees and employers alike to seek unique solutions for child care including, learning pods, tutors, technology platforms and care groups. Despite potential solutions, women, in particular, are making the difficult choice to leave the workforce. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, 860,000 women dropped out of the labor force in September. Furthermore, one in four women are considering leaving the workforce or downshifting careers due to the COVID-19 crisis. (Women in the Workplace, 2020)

Child care must not be one of the greatest barriers for working parents. An employer can offer creative child care solutions to support employees through the COVID-19 pandemic as well as after the pandemic. However, the key to a supportive workplace is asking what your employees need. Regardless of the COVID-19 pandemic, a flexible work arrangement is essential for any working parent.

In September, Ariens Company announced that construction was beginning on the Brillion Early Learning Center, a new child care facility located near their headquarters. Leadership at the Ariens Company recognized that investment in child care is crucial to retention and attraction of employees and families. Access to an on-site child care facility offers working parents a vital solution to securing convenient, affordable and reliable child care.

This is just one example of how employers are actively engaging in supporting their employees by offering new child care benefit options. Now more than ever, employers have experienced child care issues which have only been magnified by the COVID-19 pandemic.

CHILD CARE CHALLENGES

41% 15%

of families said mom has been providing a majority of extra child care during the COVID-19 pandemic.* of families said dad has been providing a majority of extra child care during the COVID-19 pandemic.*