Mehan is giving an insight into how more businesses are offering child care support facilities and how it is emerging as a new trend. Keep reading to know more!

Mehan has brought an interesting topic for today’s discussion. We will be talking about how more and more companies are providing advanced child care facilities around the globe. How the trend has emerged and what is the collective higher purpose of such endeavors. So let’s delve right into it!

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced parents to take up remote jobs, while also caring for their children. With schools and daycares closed, the child care responsibility has fallen disproportionately on women, leading to what some call the coronavirus induced recession or “she-cession.”

However, many organizations are stepping up to support working parents by adding child care provisions in their compensation benefits. These companies understand that child care is an essential element of business success, as it directly affects the productivity and retention of their employees. In this article, Mehan will highlight some of the corporations that are leading the way in providing child care convenience to their staff.

Many UAE companies are granting extended parental leave to their workers. For instance, a Dubai-based port operator DP World offers a 16-week fully paid maternity leave to its female employees, which is almost double the amount obligated by the UAE government. Likewise, Emaar Properties, a Dubai-based real estate developer, provides paternity leave of about 10 days to its male employees.

Childcare subsidies are also becoming common among UAE companies.  For example, Etisalat, a UAE telecommunications company, offers childcare subsidies to compensate employees with various childcare expenses. Similarly, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) has introduced a Childcare Support Program to financially assist employees with children education and related expenses.

If we look at the Global paradigm, an outdoor clothing and gear company named Patagonia has long been known for its commitment to environmental responsibility and child care facilities. The company grants on-site child care at both its headquarters, Ventura and California, as well as subsidized off-site provisions in separate other locations. In addition, Patagonia offers paid parental leave and flexible working hours. Due to such initiatives, the company has achieved a significantly higher employee retention rate and has been named one of the 100 best organizations for working mothers by Working Mother magazine.

Another renowned company that has made a sizable investment in child care is Goldman Sachs. The investment bank has partnered with Bright Horizons Family Solutions child care provider, in an attempt to provide employees with quick access to backup care and in-house care services. This aid became essential during the times of the Covid pandemic, when parents had to strive for remote work opportunities.  Goldman Sachs also offers generous parental leave provisions, including 20-week paid leave for primary caregivers and four-week paid leave for non-primary caregivers.

Salesforce, the cloud computing company, has also significantly prioritized child care for its employees. During 2015, the company established a state-of-the-art childcare center called the Cradle to the Cloud Academy, which offers optimum child care from six weeks to six years old. The institute provides a curriculum of ‘’STEM’’ education, art, music, and language development. Salesforce also grants backup care and elder-care services, catering to its employees’ care giving needs.

Other famous organizations offering on-site and offsite child care assistance include Google, Microsoft, and Facebook. Google has various on-site child care centres at its Mountain View and California campus, as well as backup care and educational parenting sessions. Microsoft has daycares at its Redmond and Washington headquarters while also complying with a flexible work policy. The policy enables employees to work from home and adjust their schedules accordingly to accommodate their responsibilities both at work and home. Facebook also offers on-site child care facilities at its Menlo Park and California campus, as well as a generous parental leave policy like others

According to the Center for American Progress, the lack of affordable child care costs the U.S. economy $57 billion annually in lost earnings. By investing in child care support and provision, organizations reduce absenteeism to a significant extent, improve retention rates, and increase productivity overall. In addition, offering child care benefits can attract top talent and improve the company’s ranking and image as a family-friendly employer.

Various  UAE companies  offer flexible work arrangements to their employees. For Instance, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) provides flexible work hours to its employees to manage their work and child care responsibilities. Furthermore, Dubai Municipality lets its employees work part-time or full-time from home, allowing parents to look after their children while still working on their assigned tasks and fulfilling official responsibilities. Even if some company can’t build a physical space for this purpose, can always go for this option to suppose its employees’ parental concerns.

Above all, collaboration with child care providers is becoming a new thing. Many UAE companies have started partnering up with third-party child care providers to offer extra family-care options to their employees. For example, the global consultancy firm Deloitte has partnered with a childcare provider to ensure that reliable child care options are readily available to their employees especially in cases of emergency or any other unexpected situation.

It is to be highlighted that not all companies can offer advanced and equipped nurseries or daycares, or other extensive benefits. Small and medium-sized businesses, in particular, may strive to provide such resources. Still one can always offer flexible work schedules or collaborate with local providers to contribute to this cause and reap potential results.  Even governments like the U.S. government offer tax deductions to businesses that provide child care benefits and facilities to their work staff. Not just companies that accommodate their employees this way improve retention, productivity, and sales, but can also enjoy tax redemption to a certain degree.

By investing in high quality child care support services, companies convey to their employees that their efforts are valued and the company also considers the importance of their personal lives. As a result, companies can form a unique position in people’s minds and can set them apart from industry leaders. In the process, organizations can develop a more equitable and conducive culture where working parents can thrive both personally and professionally.