Back-to-school season is a hectic time of year for parents. They typically have to make schedule adjustments, attend open houses, and more during the early part of the school year. Plus, they’re often striving to reacclimate their children to the school experience, something that can take a notable amount of time and energy.
As an employer, you have a unique opportunity to make this time of year easier for parents. If you’re wondering how you can support working parents during the back-to-school rush, here are some simple options to try.
Offer Flexible Schedules
In some cases, a small about of schedule flexibility can work wonders for parents who are trying to handle the back-to-school season while remaining productive. It gives parents a simple way to navigate the unexpected or to take the stress off of their mornings, afternoons, or evenings, depending on their unique needs.
For instance, companies could allow parents to come to work up to an hour late if it makes getting children off to school more manageable with the understanding that the time would be made up later in the day. If companies are concerned that the leeway will hinder other employees that rely on that worker, organizations can have mandatory core hours starting mid-morning and running into mid-afternoon. With that, you’re ensuring that employees are all present and able to collaborate within a specific window, all while creating some flexibility in the mornings and evenings.
Support Remote Work
The ability to work from home is another option that can reduce stress for parents. It allows them to get their children off to school in the morning and be home when they return in the afternoon. Along with allowing them to support their children, it could eliminate the need for various forms of childcare, relieving a financial burden, too.
For this option to work, employees would need access to all critical systems required to do their jobs and collaborate effectively. Additionally, it’s wise to set productivity and availability expectations in advance, allowing everyone participating to get on the same page.
Simplified Leave Processes for Emergencies
When a parent gets a call from a school saying that a child is ill or another situation arises requiring the parent to pick the child up immediately, complex leave processes make the incident more stressful. If you want to make things easier on parents, have a simplified leave process for common emergencies that can arise. This should include a quick way to notify their manager, submit for time off, and shut down for the day. That allows them to head for the door as quickly as possible.
Additionally, consider having several processes available to cover the time of these unexpected absences. Along with traditional sick leave, you could implement a flex-time-based solution, allowing parents to make up the hours later. That gives them the benefit of choice while reducing the odds that a lack of sick leave could become problematic for the parent or the organization.
Contact Us
Ultimately, all of the options above can help you support working parents during back-to-school. If you’d like to learn more about how you can assist your workforce during challenging times, the team at GoSource wants to hear from you. Contact us today.
