Daycare at Work: A New Trend in Business?

There are millions of single working parents, men and women, who go to work everyday and must make plans for how they will care for their children. Leaving children to go to work with a childcare provider is never an easy thing to do but most often a necessity. Recent years have seen businesses respond to their employee's childcare needs by opening up daycare centers of their own.

Why would a business want to open a daycare? There are several reasons an organization would benefit from having a childcare center on grounds. One obvious benefit would be the reduction in employee absenteeism and tardiness. Employees would not have to leave work early to pick up their children or make long commutes before coming to work to a daycare center. The employee has piece of mind knowing his child is within walking distance and may go to check on the child during breaks.

Of course, this is not feasible for all business organizations, especially small ones. However, large corporations with hundreds or thousands of employees may have much to gain by considering opening a childcare center of their own. Relieving an employee's frustrations about childcare and separation anxiety can greatly increase productivity in the workplace. A satisfied employee will also be less likely to look for work elsewhere. Maintaining a childcare facility can help employers attract and retain productive employees that otherwise would be out of the job force.

Childcare at work is generally not a free service to employees but the costs are far less than would be paid in a normal childcare setting. Micro-economist, Rachel Connelly published a book in 2004 called "Kids at Work: The Value of Employer-Sponsored On-Site Child Care Centers, " published by the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research. She stated that in her research the most surprising finding was the positive feelings workers showed towards an employer who incorporated into the workplace feelings of human caring.

Human caring in an intangible quality in a workplace and one that economists may not want to hear about. Studies are showing that childcare onsite can have big benefits for both employers and employees. Relieving the worries of workers will small children can greatly reduce their stress levels, increase their morale and productivity. For employers, the benefits saved by reducing employee absenteeism and the cost of hiring and training new employees greatly outweigh the costs.

If you are a working parent struggling with the issue of childcare, it may be worthwhile to find out how many other employees at your corporation are facing the same issue. If enough people voice their concerns to management, it is possible your own company may consider offering childcare services for its employees.

Sources:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/business/MYSA080507_1R_onsitedaycare_1786c26_html.html

http://www.bowdoin.edu/news/archives/1academicnews/001791.shtml

http://www.upjohninst.org/publications/titles/kaw.html