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We’ve all faced immense changes in our lives ever since the start of the pandemic. With work from home becoming the norm, employers and employees have had to adjust to their lifestyles to accommodate the new routine. While it was not easy to adapt to a work from home culture for several organizations, it became the new normal, and people slowly started to adapt. As a precautionary measure, schools and colleges began conducting online classes, which only added stress to working parents. However, people have accepted the new work culture and invested in makeshift tables, plants, and desks to bring a sense of work ethic in their daily life. But with things slowly returning to normal, will things remain the same?
Is Flexible Work The Solution?
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With remote working, working parents could balance work and parenting responsibilities well because of the freedom of flexible work. They could attend to their kids’ meals, homework, and other needs while managing virtual meetings, strict organizational deadlines, and presentations. Several parents learned to work around their kids’ schedules, and organizations understood and accommodated the fact that working from home while handling kids (especially when they toddlers) is not easy.
For over a year, parents have gotten used to juggling between work and parenting duties. They have mastered the art of cooking between meetings, handling presentations when their kids take a nap, and helping their kids with homework while meeting hectic deadlines. However, with things slowly returning to normal, many parents are concerned about how they are going to manage their children’s responsibilities while attending offices.
Returning to offices is almost close to impossible for several parents because schools are reopening at varying degrees. While most schools are still skeptical about conducting offline classes, some schools have given kids in 10th, 11th, and 12th the ability to attend offline classes. However, these children might not need a lot of care since they are much older and can handle the responsibilities of taking care of themselves. But what about parents who have younger children that do need their care?
How To Support Parents Returning To The Office
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Parents with toddler kids are nervous and anxious about returning back to the office. Since it’s a stressful time for everyone with the outbreak of a global pandemic, here’s how employers can support their employees:
1. Expand The Benefits Available To Parents
In a post-pandemic world, organizations will have to increase the benefits given to parents if they want to retain talented employees long-term. Providing financial reimbursements, backup care options, mental health support, and paid leave to parents who need a break could be brilliant ways to reduce stress on working parents.
2. Ensure Benefits Are Accessible And Understood
Many times organizations have several employee benefits listed on paper. However, when it comes to accessibility, employees struggle with availing of these benefits. Your employees must understand the benefits and know how to access them. Communication strategies to educate and inform the employees are crucial steps that HR needs to take to use the benefits they have the right to use.
3. Be Open To Inclusive And Expansive Ways To Offer Support
We live in uncertain times right now, and there’s a sense of nervousness in the air. Therefore, organizations should be open to providing expansive ways of support and not stick to rigid rules and regulations like they are set in stone. Virtual help is a good starting point. Organizations can help employees by providing them with mental health consultations or counseling sessions to help parents find the answers they need.
It’s going to be a while before remote working goes back to offline working. However, the thought of not having proper support can be overwhelming for parents. It’s okay to discuss these concerns with your employers so you can have the peace of mind to carry on your work. Comment below and let us know your concerns about returning to the office!
