Despite the economic slowdown, a growing number of companies are adding backup care to their suite of employee benefits in an effort to reduce unscheduled absenteeism, boost workplace productivity and support employees with family care responsibilities. Backup care acts as a “safety net” for employees who care for children, adults, or elderly loved ones, by providing temporary care so employees can get to work when their regular caregiving arrangements are unavailable (ex - school holidays or closures, caregiver vacations, loved ones recovering from illness or surgery.)
Research released today by Work Options Group, a Colorado-based company that specializes in the provision of corporate-sponsored backup care, offers opinions from employees who use backup care. Survey results indicate that the employee benefit does in fact reduce stress and unscheduled absenteeism as well as improve productivity and loyalty among employees.
Below are key findings from the 2008 Backup Care Survey, which was issued to all employees who used backup care through Work Options Group between March 1 and May 31, 2008. More than 1,200 individuals completed the survey.
Key Finding: When Backup Care is Not Available
If the backup care program was not offered by your employer, what would you have done instead?
- 71% Missed work to provide care for my loved one
- 14% Conducted an independent search for short-term care
- 13% Asked friends or family to provide care for my loved one
- 2% Other (respondents listed “worked from home,” “changed my work schedule” and “brought my child to work”)
More than 7 in 10 employees indicate their only other option was to miss work and provide care for a loved one, which illustrates the direct correlation between the provision of backup care and the reduction of unscheduled absenteeism.
“Backup care addresses a very real issue for working families, who otherwise struggle to find trusted, reliable, affordable short-term care for their loved ones,” said Cindy Carrillo, Founder and CEO of Work Options Group.
Key Finding: Employee Opinions of Backup Care
Percentage of respondents who either “Agree” or “Strongly Agree” with the following statements:
- 99% Backup care is an important employee benefit.
- 94% Being offered the backup care benefit by my company indicates that my employer wants to help me balance my work-life responsibilities.
- 89% Knowing that the backup care benefit is available reduces my stress level.
- 83% I recommend the backup care benefit to my co-workers.
- 82% Using the backup care benefit reduced my stress level at work.
- 78% Using the backup care benefit enhanced my productivity at work.
- 77% I rank the backup care benefit as one of my top employee benefits.
- 77% Being offered the backup care benefit by my company makes me more loyal to my employer.
“This information indicates that backup care is a win-win solution for employees and employers alike,” said Carrillo. “It’s a program that employees appreciate and use, and the workplace benefits include reduced stress, reduced absenteeism, increased productivity, enhanced morale and improved loyalty.”
Growing Interest in Backup Care
“Backup care is more important than ever because it addresses challenges for both companies and employees,” added Carrillo. “Companies run as lean as possible; they are under constant pressure to produce more with less and to retain top talent. At the same time, employees juggle both work commitments and family care responsibilities for children and aging loved ones, especially as the population lives longer and is more dependent on family for assistance.”
Over the past year, the number of companies offering the backup care program through Work Options Group has increased 30% and the company anticipates scheduling 450,000 hours of backup care during 2008. The company has scheduled 184,000 hours of backup care during the first six months of 2008, a 90% increase over the same time period in 2007. Of the backup care that was scheduled over the past six months, 74% occurred in the home of the employee or his/her family member and 26% occurred in a childcare center.
Survey Methodology
Results from the 2008 Backup Care Survey are based on responses from more than 1,200 people. Work Options Group distributed an anonymous online survey to every person who used the Backup Care Options program between March 1 and May 31, 2008. The survey was completed by employees from 130 U.S. companies.
For More Information
Visit www.workoptionsgroup.com to learn more about Work Options Group, The Backup Care Company.
Contacts:
Heather Hope, 303-604-6545
