Backup Child Care is an employer-sponsored benefit designed to help working parents fill gaps in care when their regular care routines are disrupted. When employees’ caregiving plans fall through, working parents often have to miss work to take care of their children–and this adds up to costly productivity losses for employers. In fact, employers lose $3 billion in lost productivity from employee absenteeism due to child care breakdowns annually.
Conversely, employers who offer Backup Care, report a 56% boost in productivity and 30% decrease in absenteeism. Here are the top five reasons employees need Backup Child Care:
1. School holidays, vacations, and closings
The regular school calendar is filled with holidays, teacher workshops, half-days, not to mention summer vacation. Plus, daycare centers and schools can close unexpectedly due unforeseen reasons. On those days when scheduled or unexpected closings occur, parents can rely on Backup Care instead of using their PTO to fill the gaps in care.
2. The nanny or babysitter gets sick, cancels, or goes on vacation
Even the best caregivers miss work at times. When the regular sitter calls in sick, has an emergency, or schedules a vacation, employees can use Backup Care as an alternative, temporary care arrangement.
3. A child is sick and can’t attend daycare or school
If a child has a low-grade fever, that means no school or daycare … and usually no work for mom or dad, too. Since kids typically need to be fever-free for 24 hours or more before they can go back, having an in-home backup care option to watch a mildly ill child can save working parents a day or two from missing work.
4. Employees need to work extended hours or travel for business
Parents don’t always work traditional hours—and many have to travel for business—making it difficult to find traditional care options. This is another example of how employer-sponsored Backup Care provides valuable coverage. Backup Care can be booked for shift work, extended hours, and even overnight care when changes in work schedules occur.
5. Working parents get sick
If a working parent, or a stay-at-home spouse gets sick, working parents can use Backup Care to care for their kids while they recover.
The bottom line is, no care plan is perfect, but with Backup Care, employers can make life a little easier for working parents by helping them find and pay for temporary care when their regular care plans are disrupted. Employers who offer Backup Care report a 29% increase in recruitment and a 21% decrease in turnover–and many are also recognized on the “Best Companies” to work for lists.
