Supporting Working Parents

To help ease any pressure, companies should offer flexible work schedules to accommodate situations that may happen during parenthood. Events like school closures or family members getting sick are unpredictable. When a company has a strict schedule, it can cause stress or distraction when the employee needs to balance work responsibilities with parental ones, which can then impact productivity. In fact, 68% of working parents would rather stay at a job with a flexible work environment over a job with a strict in-office policy, even if offered higher pay.

Following the passing of Joseph Martinez, ownership of PDS transferred to his spouse, Bonnie, who maintained the company’s legacy and values. In 2013, Bonnie sold the business to Joe and Regina DeBaise. Regina’s majority ownership led PDS to become a woman-owned business, further exemplifying the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity. Despite these changes in ownership, many long-time staff members remained with PDS, reflecting the company’s enduring culture and values.

When employees began to return to office after COVID lockdown, companies had to strategize what they could offer to help ease the transition. Perks like free lunches or discounted memberships appeal to most employees but what about the working parents who also have to factor in their children? Now some companies are offering childcare stipends, a new baby bonus, or even college tuition assistance. Offering unique benefits like these let parents know their company cares about their entire family’s well-being.

After an employee becomes a parent, they want to know that their careers will not become stagnant. While there is a negative stereotype that working parents are unambitious, a study found that 70% of working mothers are just as likely to aspire to be in a senior leadership position and this demographic is 2.5x more likely to change jobs for a promotion or higher pay. With this in mind, consider offering personalized support like 1:1 career coaching or training stipends to further expand skillsets. This will ensure working parents receive the needed support and guidance to advance their careers.

If your parental leave policies have not changed in the past 10 years, this is something to think about updating. Only 27% of employees are offered paid family leave, which means nearly 75% of employees do not have access to parental leave at all. This forces new parents to use vacation or sick time or forgo income all together during this time. If your company does not have paid parental leave, now is the time to consider implementing new policies around this. This will signal to current and potential employees that having children is not something to worry about and they can be comforted in knowing their workplace supports them.

It’s clear that when a company invests in progressive parental policies, they build employee loyalty and fuel productivity when parents know a company cares about their children too.