Key Finding: Backup Care Helps Employees Balance Work & Family
Ninety-three percent of HR leaders think backup care helps employees balance work and family responsibilities. This reflects similar sentiment from employees; 99% say backup care is an important employee benefit and 94% say being offered the benefit indicates that employers want to help them with work-life balance.
“Backup care addresses a very real issue for working families, who otherwise struggle to find trusted, reliable, affordable short-term care for their loved ones,” said Cindy Carrillo, Founder and CEO of Work Options Group. “Employees still have commitments to their families that do not disappear during an economic downturn. Backup care enables businesses to recognize that conflict and offer a tangible solution to help their employees resolve it.”
Key Finding: Backup Care Reduces Absenteeism
Eighty-one percent of HR leaders believe backup care reduces absenteeism, a problem that is only magnified when companies face economic hardship and operate with very lean workforces. More than 7 in 10 employees indicate their only other option without backup care is to miss work and provide care for a loved one, which illustrates the direct correlation between the provision of backup care and the reduction of unscheduled absenteeism.
Key Finding: Backup Care Boosts Productivity
Fifty-three percent of HR leaders think backup care boosts productivity. This opinion is even stronger among employees; 78% say that backup care enhances their productivity at work. Companies will be expecting more from their employees in the coming months because as businesses struggle to control costs during the economic downtown, every single employee will need to work harder and be more productive to ensure success.
“This is the time when the value of backup care is most appreciated by employees and the return on investment, in terms of increased efficiencies, is most critical to employers,” said Carrillo. “Companies that offer backup care relieve their employees from the effort and distraction of securing temporary care for their loved ones, so they can focus on their work and remain productive – with the peace of mind that their family members are getting the care they need.”
Key Finding: Backup Care Lowers Stress in the Workplace
Sixty-eight percent of HR leaders believe backup care reduces stress. Employee feedback is even stronger, with 89% saying that simply knowing the benefit is available reduces their stress.
Other studies have found that stress is the top reason that people leave their employers1 and employees who are highly stressed are 15% less engaged in and committed to their organizations and nearly twice as likely to leave2. Employers can alleviate some of that stress by helping employees manage work and family responsibilities.
“Backup care reduces both emotional and financial stress for employees, which are heightened for so many people right now,” said Carrillo. “It eliminates the emotional turmoil that comes with juggling work and family, plus it makes temporary care very affordable during a time when so many people are trying to save money and make ends meet.”
Key Finding: Backup Care Aids with Retention of Top Talent
Seventy percent of HR leaders think backup care positions their company as an “employer of choice” and 47% think it improves retention. This idea is reiterated by employees, with 77% saying that being offered the benefit makes them more loyal to their employers.
Stress and work-life balance issues can result in employee dissatisfaction and turnover, which decreases a company’s ability to remain productive and competitive. Unless these issues are addressed through the provision of backup care and other programs that aid employees, the most talented people may seek other opportunities once the economy and job market improve.
“While employers cannot control the turmoil in today’s economy, they can control their response to the volatility,” said Carrillo. “When they provide backup care it helps retain key employees and keeps them engaged and motivated so that productivity remains high. Companies that support their employees’ work-life needs are rewarded with a more loyal workforce – both now and in the future.”
Survey Methodology
The 2008 Backup Care Client Survey was issued in September 2008 to all employers that offer backup care through Work Options Group. More than 43% of clients responded to the anonymous online survey, representing HR leaders from 58 U.S. companies of various sizes, revenues, industries and geographic locations. A separate survey, the 2008 Backup Care Survey, was issued in June 2008 to all employees that used the Backup Care Options program between March 1 and May 31, 2008. More than 1,200 employees representing 130 U.S. companies responded to the anonymous online survey.
1 – Watson Wyatt Worldwide
2 – WFD Consulting
About Work Options Group - www.workoptionsgroup.com
Work Options Group's Backup Care Options program enables more than 600,000 employees throughout the United States and Canada to get to work when they experience temporary breakdowns in their child, adult and elder care arrangements. Work Options Group, The Backup Care Company, has offered nationwide backup care for all ages since 1991. During 2008, the company anticipates providing more than 450,000 hours of backup care, providing employees with trusted, affordable, temporary care and saving employers more than $22.5 million in absenteeism and lost productivity costs. Clients include Microsoft, Accenture, Dell, ING, Verizon Wireless, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Princeton University and Baptist Health South Florida.