Feedback must be constructive: help your classmates improve their project.
Connecting Childcare to Companies
The COVID-19 pandemic caused cataclysmic damage. Working parents were put to the test when hundreds of thousands of schools and childcare operations shut down. They struggled to manage their job responsibilities while caring for their families, leaving them under tremendous pressure and sidelining them in their professional careers. This took a toll on the children as well, causing more stress to the parents and contributing to their poor mental and physical health. Companies have slowly begun welcoming employees back to the office, but many parents struggle to find childcare.
Childcare was a problem long before the pandemic, but the pandemic has made it even more difficult because of the abrupt and dramatic changes everyone had to adapt to. To ensure working parents continue to focus on work and take care of their children, companies should adopt an on-site childcare/daycare facility to allow flexibility and assurance for working parents. Childcare is not a problem for the working parents; it is a business issue that impacts the company and having this on-site childcare infrastructure will benefit everyone affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A survey conducted by KinderCare and Harris Poll showed that working parents don’t feel supported by their employer during COVID-19, and 47% of working parents responded that their employers do not understand the strain and stress they are going through. In addition, 46% of parents say their career is on hold due to the pandemic and 22% of working mothers say they are likely to quit their job within six months to care for their children (Place, 2021). Indeed, surveys also show a third of people don’t want to start work right away because they are, “waiting for schools to open back up.”
Job numbers show that employment in child daycare services has not recovered from its pre-pandemic peak and is still short by more than 108,000 workers. Also, according to CNBC, “There are 20,000 child-care centers that we know of that are closed because of the pandemic. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1 in 9 child-care worker jobs have been lost. So even if parents want to come back to the office full time, there might not be a place for their children to go.” There is a growing need for a safe place for children with parents that work full-time/ hybrid in-person jobs, and an on-site daycare provides a place for them to be handled with care and still be under supervision all while being in the same facility as their parents.
To create this on-site childcare facility, we propose creating a contracting company that will connect childcare providers with corporations. The providers will come into said corporation, set up a suitable childcare facility in the space allotted by the company, and care for the children during working hours. Our vision as a contracting company is to provide a powerful solution: a high-quality child-care center, designed to cater to the specific needs and schedules of employees. We provide personalized childcare solutions to various corporations on-site. This organization is well suited to carry out this idea because they will be able to work closely with the childcare providers to ensure companies are able to provide safe childcare services for their employees.
To do this, they must build a strong social network and promote strong networks amongst their employees. It is important for this company to become a broker. They must bridge the gap between companies in need of childcare and childcare providers. This is imperative to the success of this business. Another aspect of this is facilitating bonding amongst employees and between the childcare providers and the children. It will be important for employees to know one another very well for the safety of the organization and children. It is also important for employees to bond with the children and their parents as trust is an important factor for childcare. This will create a safe space for everyone, and companies will trust this contracting company in setting up good facilities for their staff.
Another management practice we recommend is to create a diverse team in the contracting company and with the childcare providers. With over 92% of the childcare industry being female, we want to encourage male representatives within the company, as well as employees from various ethnicities. This will be beneficial for both the staff and the children. Having a diverse workforce will give the children opportunities to interact with a variety of people. It will also encourage awareness, self-confidence, and encourage inclusivity from a young age.
Lastly, we recommend implementing a fun and friendly culture in this organization. It is important for the employees who connect companies to childcare services to be friendly in their approach. It is also important for the employees who work directly with children to be friendly and promote fun as they care for the children. This will create an environment where everyone thrives and feels comfortable. Employees who enjoy their jobs are more productive and are more creative in their roles. Providing childcare services for working parents who otherwise would not be able to work, is very important. “In the United States, around one in five (19.6%) of working-age adults said the reason they were not working was because COVID-19 disrupted their childcare arrangements” (Bureau, 2021). The employees of this company have a strong purpose in helping these people get back to work.
REFERENCES:
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Modestino, A. S., Ladge, J. J., Swartz, A., & Lincoln, A. (2021, April 29). Childcare Is a Business Issue. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2021/04/childcare-is-a-business-issue
Place, A. (2021, March 31). Working parents are in the dark about child care benefits. Employee Benefit News. https://www.benefitnews.com/news/working-parents-are-in-the-dark-about-child-care-benefits
U.S. Chamber of Commerce. (2021, February 3). COVID-19 Impact on Childcare. U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/reports/covid-19-impact-childcare
Heggeness, M. L., & Fields, J. M. (2020, August 18). Working Moms Bear Brunt of Home Schooling While Working During COVID-19. Census.Gov. https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2020/08/parents-juggle-work-and-child-care-during-pandemic.html
https://www.businessinsider.com/workers-return-to-office-to-drop-off-kids-daycare-2021-12
https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/19/economy/parents-office-return-child-care/index.html
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-27/child-care-provider-bets-on-return-to-office-even-if-parents-work-from-home
https://tootris.com/edu/child-care-assistance/corporate/google/
https://tootris.com/edu/child-care-assistance/corporate/apple/
https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/workplace/amazon-offers-backup-family-care-to-650-000-u-s-employees
https://slate.com/human-interest/2018/02/the-corporate-case-for-childcare.html
Bureau, U. S. C. (2021, December 16). Working Moms Bear Brunt of home schooling while working during COVID-19. Census.gov. Retrieved January 25, 2022, from https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2020/08/parents-juggle-work-and-child-care-during-pandemic.html
“Childcare Workers.” Data USA, https://datausa.io/profile/soc/childcare-workers.
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Constructive feedback is required: assist your classmates in improving their project.
Connecting Childcare to Businesses
The COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on the world. Hundreds of thousands of schools and daycare facilities were closed, putting working parents to the test. They struggled to manage their employment commitments while caring for their families, putting them under a lot of stress and putting their professional careers on the back burner. This had an effect on the children as well, adding to the parents’ stress and contributing to their poor mental and physical health. Companies have gradually begun to welcome employees back to the workplace, but many parents are still unable to secure daycare.
Childcare was a problem long before the outbreak, but the pandemic has made it even more difficult because to the sudden and unexpected increase in demand.
