Changes to an employee’s routine can be tough, especially for working families. They can be faced with unexpected challenges like inclement weather, illness, caregiver holidays or vacations and many other temporary disruptions for regular care arrangements. As those days add up, their work may start to suffer, leading to losses in productivity and engagement and increased stress, hurting both the employees, their coworkers and the organization’s bottom line.
In fact, according to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 6.7% of payroll costs are due to unplanned employee absences. Additionally, the same study found that unplanned absences result in an average productivity loss of 36.6% and even impacts coworkers by adding to their workload, increasing stress, disrupting the work of others, hurting morale and reducing the quality of work.
That’s why a Backup Care benefit makes good business sense. Backup Care programs can help employees secure and pay for temporary care when their normal plans are disrupted, so they can get to work and focus with peace of mind knowing their loved ones are cared for. Here are some of the top benefits that a Backup Care program can offer:
Save the stress
When an employee gets that call saying their regular care arrangements are cancelled, panic will most likely set in and they’ll find themsleves scrambling. Will they have to miss work? Who will watch their loved one? Will they be safe? Having flexible backup care options available takes the stress out of those emergency care changes.
The power of choice
When employees are thrown off their regular routine, it’s nice to know that there is a flexible, dependable solution available. A backup care program can identify reliable, prescreened centers and in-home care providers in their area, even at the last minute. Some programs even allow employees to enlist and pay friends and family members that they know and trust.
Get employees work
It happens, your employee’s nanny gets sick, their daycare closes during a snow storm or their parent’s caregiver has a last minute emergency. Then they find themselves in a tough spot, forced to choose between staying home and caring for their loved one or getting to work. Your job can’t be put on hold and you don’t want constant absences to affect your career. Backup Care programs allow you to find reliable care, get to work with confidence and focus on your job knowing that your loved ones are in skilled hands.
Better for the budget
Scrambling for last minute care might force employees to pay for a higher priced option than they had budgeted for, or even face lost wages if they can’t find a suitable option and have to miss work. Backup Care programs offer access to a variety of low cost options so they don’t have to take a big hit to their bank account.
Not just for kids
Nowadays workers don’t just experience gaps in care for their children, they facing adult, pet and self care issues as well. With backup care programs they can get coverage for the entire family, not just their kids. This is also a high-value, inclusive employee benefit when you consider that you’re supporting your full workforce, not just parents that can help recruit and retain top talent.
Give peace of mind
It’s hard to leave loved ones in the care of someone else, especially when it’s a new provider. This can lead to increased presenteeism when employees are worried all day and unable to focus on their work. Best in class backup care programs will vet the caregivers that are available, so employees don’t have to start researching and interviewing from scratch. The program can secure care on their behalf at a fully credentialed child care center or with a highly qualified in-home professional.
Plan ahead to get ahead
Sometimes it’s not just those last minute mishaps that throw employees for a loop. They might know well in advance that you’ll be facing a gap in care for a holiday, caregiver vacation or some other planned event, but they still need to find alternate care coverage. Backup care programs allow employees to reserve reliable temporary care in advance so they aren’t left hanging.
Business case for backup care
Employers benefit from offering Backup Care programs, too! Working parents can be distracted and stressed by family care concerns, drastically impacting their productivity. In fact, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, companies in the U.S. experienced an estimated $74 billion in direct costs and lost opportunities due to unplanned absences and over 20% of those absences were due to family issues including breakdowns in child and adult care.
As the provider of the industry’s most flexible backup care, with the highest placement and satisfaction rates in the industry, we see every day how this service can help working families. Our Backup Care Connection program gets more employees to work by offering unparalleled choice, flexibility and options for cost reimbursement. To learn more about how we can help you with your Backup Care needs, contact us here or call (833) 282-3366.