It’s the 21st century and we’re still choosing between a career and having a family. Science and technology have long advanced beyond our wildest dreams and we still can’t find a good way to bring our jobs and family closer together.
Parenting is a full-time job, and it goes without mentioning that being a business owner or being an employee also requires a lot of energy and concentration. So, what if we could combine the two by creating a family-friendly work environment.
Creating a family-friendly work environment is possible, and it can have many benefits as well. If you’re interested in creating a family-friendly environment in your office, here are some of the best ways to do so.
1. Flexible working schedules
Flexible working hours don’t have to come at the expense of the work quality. If there is something good that came out of this global pandemic then that’s proof that remote and flexible working has many benefits.
Both remote working and flexible working hours have allowed parents to do their job and spend time with their families. A flexible work schedule helps parents be more productive with the time they have at work, and it also allows them to be with their kids and fulfill other obligations.
You’d be doing your employees as well as yourself a favor if you decided to be more flexible with working hours or if you allowed them to work remotely.
2. On-site daycare
Leaving your children home alone is never a good solution. Finding someone trustworthy to look after your kids can also be difficult. And not to mention the prospect of not seeing them throughout the whole day, only to find them sleeping when you get home. Additionally, daycare costs are so high they can easily break any bank. So, what to do in this situation?
This can be a good way to create a family-friendly environment in your office. If you have enough space, create an on-site daycare for children under the age of 5. It’ll take some planning and it will cost money, but employees will be forever grateful.
Plus, your employees won’t have any problems paying whatever you ask them, as long as they don’t have to worry about who will look after their children while they’re at work.
Not only will you allow them to be close to their kids but they also won’t have to waste time leaving and picking up kids at the beginning and end of a workday.
3. Bring kids to work
It would be such a relief if employees were allowed to bring their kids to work on certain occasions. Sometimes the only viable solution for parents is to bring their kids to work. There are days or instances when your child has no school or there is no one to take care of them. In those cases, the best and most helpful solution would be to bring them to work with you.
Companies and offices could create designated areas and rooms for children, they could even invest in outdoor and indoor playground equipment. This way, parents would know that their children are safe and entertained and they could concentrate on their work.
4. Parental leave
Having a newborn is the most beautiful time in any parent’s life, but it’s also the most exhausting and demanding. On top of that, imagine working for an overly demanding boss who doesn’t allow you enough parental leave? A nightmare.
If you’re looking into becoming a family-friendly company that supports and encourages family development, then think about giving your employees a paid parental leave.
You don’t have to go over the top, but if you can offer some paid time off for the new parents, it would be much appreciated. The number of days set for parental leave varies from country to country, but it can be said that approximately 12 weeks are what every employer should allow. Of course, no one expects you to give 12 weeks of full-time pay, whatever you can pay will be greatly appreciated.
If you expect your employees to perform their best at work, you need to be aware that their children and families are a big part of their lives and that they have a great impact on how well your employees will perform at work.
Creating a family-friendly environment at work is a great way to bridge the decades-long gap between the workplace, child-care, and even family life. The future of the workplace needs to be more family-friendly.