A new survey of Irish workers by IrishJobs.ie reveals that nearly half (49%) of working parents have missed up to five days of work in the past twelve months due to a lack of available childcare supports.
From unexpected illnesses to childminders cancelling prior arrangements, working parents are often faced with tricky demands that do not fit the regular 9-to-5 workday.
When this happens, missing a day or part of a day of work can be unavoidable, particularly if adequate childcare or childcare supports are not available.
The IrishJobs.ie survey found that childcare arrangements most frequently lie with grandparents or another family member (37%). This is followed by Montessori or creches (30%), childminders (21%), and after-school clubs (12%).
Despite the reliance on extended family for regular childcare duties, 37% of respondents have no back-up childcare arrangements in place in the eventuality of their child being sick. Only 6% are in a position to take paid time off to care for their sick child.
Finding a solution
Research* shows that employee absenteeism costs €490 million a year to the Irish economy. Aside from the financial impact, it can also have a negative effect on the overall productivity of the business.
So, what actions can employers take to help working parents while maintaining a productive workforce? According to survey respondents, some employers are currently offering a variety of supports.
Over 3 in 10 (31%) employers offer parents flexible working hours, and 14% say that their employer permits parents to work from home. 16% of respondents said that their employer allows them to leave work early to collect their child from school. 37% claim to benefit from other forms of employer support. That said, less than two per cent claim their employers provide a childcare subsidy or onsite childcare facilities.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, when respondents were asked what supports they would like to see put in place by their employer, 97% said they would avail of onsite childcare, 95% said they would avail of subsidised childcare, and 92% were in favour of the option of job-sharing.
Other suggestions included employee assistance programmes, which provide services to ease the burden on busy parents (90%), the option to work from home (76%), and flexible working hours (57%).
Retain Talent
Commenting on the results, IrishJobs.ie General Manager Orla Moran said:
“In Ireland, as in most of Western Europe, it is now entirely normal for both parents to work full-time. This places a huge strain on families and poses a weekly juggling act for working parents.
“Employers need to understand that if they are to retain good employees and keep absenteeism low, they will need to provide adequate supports for every step of life’s journey.
“While there is clear room for improvement, many employers are getting things right. A surprisingly high percentage of those surveyed are quite positive about their employer’s efforts to support working parents. 20% suggest their employers are excellent at facilitating the needs of working parents: 45% describe them as ‘good’ or ‘very good’.
“For others looking to provide meaningful support to working parents, this can be as simple as offering flexible and remote working options. This does not require a significant investment, but employers will reap the dividends of a happy and productive employee.
“Obviously, the provision of onsite childcare facilities or a childcare subsidy requires considerable investment and may not be an option for many smaller employers. For others, however, this may represent a compelling employer USP and a brilliant incentive to keep your best staff.”
* Small Firms Association, Absenteeism Report 2015
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