Incentive - January 2008 - (Page 47)

Hey, Boss, Can You Watch My Kids? By Virginia Randall eaghan Burns of the University of Denver had her backup plan in place when she learned her daughters’ day care center would be closed for a week—her mom would babysit the girls. Then mom called to say an out-of-town funeral would make her unavailable. In years past, Burns would have had to spend time scrambling for last-minute care, or take off a day from work, contributing to an estimated $5 billion in lost productivity among U.S. employers due to dependent care issues, according to a 2006 MetLife Caregiving Cost Study. Fortunately, all she had to do was call the office. The University of Denver is among the growing number of companies contracting with providers of backup dependent care for employees. A 2006 benefits survey by the Society for Human Resource Management found that 14 percent of respondents offered emergency/sick child-care benefits, more than double the previous year’s number. “Backup child care establishes companies as employers of choice,” says Clint Poole, director of marketing for Bright Horizons Family Solutions, a Watertown, Mass.–based provider of employer-sponsored day care, with 600 centers in the U.S., Canada and Europe. In fact, almost one third of the businesses on Fortune magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For 2006 list offered an on-site child care center. On-site child care centers are just one of the options offered by national companies such as Bright Horizons and San Francisco–based Children’s Creative Learning Centers (CLCC), and The Learning Experience, with locations in New Jersey, New M York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina and Virginia. The options for employers range from near-site child care centers to in-home services. The employer subsidizes most of the cost of the service, and employees are allotted a set number of hours per year in which to use the service, often with just a phone call. For instance, Burns, a human resources coordinator at the University of Denver, contacted the Work Options Group, based in Superior, Colo., a national agency contracted by her employer to provide backup care. They found her a nanny, and for a copay of $4 an hour, she was able to go to work. “They were on time, the house was clean when I came home and the kids were safe and they were fed,” says Burns. In fact, changing demographics and farflung families are also driving a demand that aging relatives be included in employer-sponsored dependent care. By 2020, one in three U.S. households will be involved in caring for an elderly or disabled relative, notes the MetLife Foundation. According to Heather Hope, a spokesperson for Work Options Group, 10 percent of their business is focused on in-home adult or elder care. “If your mom needs a ride home from the hospital or your spouse is recovering from surgery, we can help,” she says. Caregivers on Call, in Lynbrook, N.Y., and 60 other cities, specializes in in-home care and provides licensed home health aides who care for mildly ill children and special needs children but also provide companionship and assistance to the elderly. Costs for employer-sponsored programs vary by depth of service and size of the population, but the ROI is clear—less absenteeism, less turnover and a motivated, loyal workforce. “If employees are thinking about what to do about their children or parents, they’re not thinking about what to do at work,” said Chason Hecht, founder of Retensa, a company based in New York City that specializes in retaining employees and reducing turnover. “Companies often overlook one of the most influential retention drivers: peace of mind. These benefits work because employees are loyal to the firm that is looking out for them.” s If you care for a child or older loved one, what adjustment do you make to your work schedule most often? 24 % during the work day 22 % Leave work early 16 % Take the day off 14 % Arrive at work late 5 % his/her schedule 19 % Other SOURCE: LIFECARE®, INC. Make phone calls/arrangements Ask spouse to adjust incentivemag.com | January 2008 | Incentive | 47 http://incentivemag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Incentive - January 2008

Incentive - January 2008 Contents Editor’s Note: Out of SITE In The News Cover Story: Include a Meeting, Improve Morale Case Study: DHL Delivers Recognition Incentive Primer: How To Use Promo Products How Bob Nardelli Rallied Chrysler’s Dealers Incentive Interview: Ken Blanchard Says Be Nice TV’s Extreme Makeover Motivates Giving Pre-Employment Motivation The Daycare Dilemma Happy Employees Shouldn’t Mix with Sick Employees Incentive Research: Consumer Promotions Report In Her Shoes: Winning Approval Of Flextime Travel News Field Report: Barcelona Field Report: Bermuda Golf: Follow The Pros potentials Here and Now Watches As Jewelry Awards: Online Gift Cards Tech Gadgets for 2008 Last Word: Stanley Bing Bashes Bully Bosses

Incentive - January 2008

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