Working parents have the dual responsibility of childcare and work duties. Juggling personal and professional priorities while suffering long hours can be exhausting. Supporting working parents ultimately creates a more diverse workforce, a key objective high on the agenda for many business leaders. In the following article we will provide insight into how businesses can best move forward in supporting their working parents.
Open communication
While we can presume what would be best for others, sometimes the right approach is to put the ball in their court. After all, who knows their situation better than themselves. Encouraging working parents to propose strategies that would make their circumstances easier provides us with insights into the challenges they are facing. We may not be able to implement every suggested solution, but it gives us a good launchpad for change.
At the same time, employees that are surprised by job decisions are more likely to become frustrated. Share regular updates on the state of the business and any key decisions that impact employees’ lives such as pay and benefits.
Tackle burnout
Presenteeism is the act of showing up for work without being productive, generally because ill-health prevents it. It’s dragging yourself into the office despite a splitting headache. This can have adverse affects not only on productivity, but also on overall mental health and staff morale. Parents often work late into the night after their children have gone to bed. As a recruiter, you can encourage your clients to adopt flexible working policies, allowing parents to manage their workday in a way that suits them.
A sustainable work pace is also essential. And business performance has been wildly temperamental over the past 12 months. Companies need to evaluate performance expectations pre- and post-pandemic and consider what is realistic – whether this means narrowing scope or extending deadlines.
Human-centred work policies
Business leaders need to be empathetic and understanding to the individual struggles of their workers. Going one step further would be implementing policies that support them. This encourages openness and allows for a better relationship between employer and employee. These policies could include flexible working arrangements, mental health days, unstructured time with leaders, enhanced maternity/paternity leave or any number of support initiatives that would reduce stress and promote wellness.
In a year marked by uncertainty, employers have an opportunity to make significant investments in building a more flexible and empathetic workplace. We hope to see many more businesses incorporating family-friendly policies and practices moving forward.