Employees Finding Freedom Through Work-Life Benefits

LONDON -

- Summer Caregiving and Financial Support Relieves Stress for Working Families

Working parents are declaring their freedom this summer from day-to-day worries about conflicts between childcare and work. With children out of school on holiday, finding safe and affordable childcare becomes a concern for many working families. To help employees still work and provide for their families, many U.K. companies are offering child and back-up care support as part of their Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) and work-life benefits packages.

According to research by Working Families, 60 percent of all mothers in the U.K. work full-time. Adding to that, fathers in the U.K. work longer hours than men without children, with a third of fathers working more than 50 hours a week. Juggling the demands of work and family can make it difficult for employees to perform to their full capacity on the job. Working parents who are offered help from employers for finding the right childcare solution often feel more freedom to concentrate on their work and home responsibilities.

“The daycare needs of working parents in the U.K. have changed. It’s no longer a matter of finding 9 to 5 care for preschoolers and infants. Parents are working longer hours, which creates needs that regular day care providers can’t meet,” said Alan King, president and managing director for Employee Advisory Resource, a leading provider of EAP and integrated work-life services. “Knowing your employer proactively supports your family’s caregiving needs can be very liberating for working parents.”

EAP and work-life providers like Employee Advisory Resource (EAR) offer family caregiving support services to take away some of the anxiety and stress that comes with balancing caring responsibilities. From May to June EAR saw a 25 percent increase in employee calls to their helpdesk for childcare services such as holiday clubs, childminders and nannies as parents prepared for summer holiday. These caregiving services, as well as resources including employee caregiving helplines, expert advisors and information packs enable employees to feel more in control of their work-life balance. This, in turn, makes them more productive and happy at work.

Recession-hit Britons are also still feeling the effects of financial strain and it’s impacting their work and home life. For example, many parents are feeling the need to cut back on summer spending for camps, recreational activities and family vacations. VisitBritain, the national tourism body, reports that around one in five Britons, or approximately 4 million people, who holidayed abroad last year will stay at home this year.

Financial consulting services are often offered by employers to help free workers from anxiety over financial troubles. EAR offers financial counsellors and educators who can consult with employees on a variety of financial management issues including debt reduction, home buying, budgeting and prevention of foreclosure and bankruptcy.

In addition to childcare, back-up care and financial consulting services, EAR offers a wide range of work, family, wellness and daily living resources and solutions. To learn more about these services, visit www.ear.co.uk.

Source: Employee Advisory Resource

Christine Hall, chall at capstrat.com, +1-919-882-1998