In this series, the challenges faced by working parents as they return to work, and how best businesses can support them during this transition, has been explored.
This last article will delve into the importance of a parent-friendly culture, and how organisations can best create this in their environment.
‘Parent-Friendly’ Not Yet a Reality
In a 2018 survey by HR software provider CIPHR, just 55% of working parents felt able to access flexible working arrangements, something identified as a key way in which a business can support a working parent returning to work.
But such arrangements should be underpinned by a foundational parent-friendly company culture. Such an atmosphere can aid an organisation’s retention of talent and foster an inclusive environment for all.
Example of Best Practice: Deloitte
Working Families UK have revealed that in 2018, one of the most parent-friendly workplaces in the UK is Deloitte.
By joining initiatives like Mumsnet’s ‘Family Friendly’ programme, as well as publishing their parental pay benefits, Deloitte continue to foster their parent-friendly culture, ensuring the inclusion of working parents is an integral part of their organisation.
No doubt this helps this business to remain successful, retaining great talent and optimising their performance of the process.
Why Should Your Business Become More Parent-Friendly?
Like Deloitte, an enterprise which maintains a parent-friendly company culture can retain their best talent, while remaining diverse.
This will enhance an organisation’s performance, as it continues to employ their best talent, while improving their employer brand to potential recruits who seek a parent-friendly workplace for future employment.
How Can Your Business Become More Parent-Friendly?
Below are just some of the ways in which a business can become more parent-friendly:
While childcare costs are rising both in Ireland and further afield, on-site childcare can give working parents peace of mind, as their children can be closer to hand.
By providing workplace discounts, this can further aid working parents to afford childcare, while ensuring that they can still meet their professional goals within their careers at an organisation.
Different colleagues with children may have different commitments regarding the age of their children. Job-sharing can ease the pressure from both of these roles, allowing them to remain in a job and active in their careers, while meeting their parental duties.
Job-sharing can also ease working parent guilt, as it will provide those colleagues with more time at home.
Regardless of what level colleagues may work within an organisation, having regular meetups with a manager or supervisor will ensure working parents have their needs or issues heard.
Management will also be provided with a better understanding of the challenges working parents face within the workplace, giving a better insight into how best they can help their colleagues.
It could be an annual kids’ Christmas party, or it could be family fun days in aid of a local charity. No matter the event, these activities can greatly enhance an organisation’s culture for working parents.
This last article will delve into the importance of a parent-friendly culture, and how organisations can best create this in their environment.
‘Parent-Friendly’ Not Yet a Reality
In a 2018 survey by HR software provider CIPHR, just 55% of working parents felt able to access flexible working arrangements, something identified as a key way in which a business can support a working parent returning to work.
But such arrangements should be underpinned by a foundational parent-friendly company culture. Such an atmosphere can aid an organisation’s retention of talent and foster an inclusive environment for all.
Example of Best Practice: Deloitte
Working Families UK have revealed that in 2018, one of the most parent-friendly workplaces in the UK is Deloitte.
By joining initiatives like Mumsnet’s ‘Family Friendly’ programme, as well as publishing their parental pay benefits, Deloitte continue to foster their parent-friendly culture, ensuring the inclusion of working parents is an integral part of their organisation.
No doubt this helps this business to remain successful, retaining great talent and optimising their performance of the process.
Why Should Your Business Become More Parent-Friendly?
Like Deloitte, an enterprise which maintains a parent-friendly company culture can retain their best talent, while remaining diverse.
This will enhance an organisation’s performance, as it continues to employ their best talent, while improving their employer brand to potential recruits who seek a parent-friendly workplace for future employment.
How Can Your Business Become More Parent-Friendly?
Below are just some of the ways in which a business can become more parent-friendly:
- On-Site Childcare
While childcare costs are rising both in Ireland and further afield, on-site childcare can give working parents peace of mind, as their children can be closer to hand.
By providing workplace discounts, this can further aid working parents to afford childcare, while ensuring that they can still meet their professional goals within their careers at an organisation.
- Job-sharing
Different colleagues with children may have different commitments regarding the age of their children. Job-sharing can ease the pressure from both of these roles, allowing them to remain in a job and active in their careers, while meeting their parental duties.
Job-sharing can also ease working parent guilt, as it will provide those colleagues with more time at home.
- Regular Conversations
Regardless of what level colleagues may work within an organisation, having regular meetups with a manager or supervisor will ensure working parents have their needs or issues heard.
Management will also be provided with a better understanding of the challenges working parents face within the workplace, giving a better insight into how best they can help their colleagues.
- Family Bonding Workplace Activities
It could be an annual kids’ Christmas party, or it could be family fun days in aid of a local charity. No matter the event, these activities can greatly enhance an organisation’s culture for working parents.
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