What should businesses be doing to help parents during COVID?

Question

Was having a discussion with a friend of mine who has a toddler. Daycare is closed because of COVID and both she and her husband are working from home. She said her work day ends up being 16 hours long because she works a few hours in the morning, while her husband watch’s their toddler, then we switch off for a few hours while he works, then switch off again and she works later at night. She says flex scheduling isn’t enough to help parents in this situation.
My office is doing the same. People with kids can work whatever hours work best for them. Unfortunately that means that the employees with no kids do end up picking up a lot of slack because the parents aren’t around to do things when they need to be done. Some of my childless have indicated that they feel like they’re being punished for not having children.
So what I’m wondering is how you think companies should be dealing with this to keep things fair for all employees but also give parents the support they need while daycares and schools are closed?

Answer

Unfortunately I don’t think there is much they can do. Working is never fully family friendly, even in non-pandemic times. When a parent can’t work or preform their duties because of their kids, the employees without kids are usually taking over. It’s sad but that’s usually why people in top positions don’t have kids, or they have one spouse as a stay at home parent, or they hire full time nannies. Realistically, I don’t know what more businesses can do. This is an unprecedented time for us all.

Answer

I feel like flex scheduling is fair enough. I’m not sure what else parents would expect from their job.

Answer

If possible, hire a workplace child minder. This would obviously only be suitable in some occasions. 
Get the parents to actually work from home too, it's completely do-able depending on the ages. 
Also give flexi times to those without kids then, just because they don't have kids doesn't mean they should be the only ones working full time.
Otherwise, the parents would need to make a plan with their kids and family members. People forget this whole situation isn't a holiday.

Answer

Allowing them to work from home with flexibility in their hours is more than enough. To be fair, they need to give clear goals and expectations for all employees so those with children aren’t getting off easy with less work.  People shouldn’t have to do more work because their coworkers have kids.

Answer

We are in a global pandemic so I would say right now we pull together and support those who need to be supported. I would be really disappointed if a colleague or an employee was complaining about it “not being fair” that they are taking on extra work to ultimately do what’s best for the team and the company. You just do it. It’s the right thing to do. Nobody asked for this to happen or expected for the world to change In the way it has. Parents have dependents that unfortunately depending on what age they are need constant supervision and care and yes it’s nearly impossible to take on a 24 hour full time care job and do the paid job full time job you’re employed to do at the same pace and effort you were doing before. Yes parents are in a unique position that sometimes allows extra allowances compared to employees who don’t have people to take to doctors appointments, have to drop off and pick up at a certain time from school etc but being in that position can also comes with plenty of drawbacks and consequences as many working mothers well know (barriers to re-entering the workplace, wage gap for working mums, lack of flexibility, lack of promotions, inability to travel for extended periods and so on...) Working fathers often don’t face these same workplace issues when becoming a parent which is why I have not mentioned them.

Answer

I think allowing people to work from home and having a generally understanding approach to interruption is probably the best a company can be expected to do.
I can do my job with the same amount of productivity at home as I can in the office and my school age child is going remote learning (our only option at our school).. but my company wants people back in the office because they want things to be ‘normal’.. I fought for myself and my team to be able to WFH a few days a week, but we all still have to commute in at least two days a week so our department doesn’t look empty (we are not in customer service or essential)... it’s very frustrating. My little kids will go to daycare now that they are open because I really don’t have any other choice 
I keep telling myself that I am lucky to have at least some flexibility compared to those who just lost their jobs or are in essential roles that require in-person interactions to get the job done.

Answer

It depends on the job and how the pay is structured (salary vs hourly, etc). But maybe for salaried workers they could offer 3 tiers of work loads. 
1. Flextime.  Offer as a non-free option.  Worker has $400/mo taken out of their paycheck for flextime. (Approx. half the cost of daycare). 
2. Standard work hours. 
3. Standard work hours + flex-worker backup. Gets extra $400/mo for signing up as a backup for a person working flextime.

Answer

It’s not fair for people without children to be expected to pick up extra work like that. It’s fine if it’s occasionally, but I’ve had jobs where it’s just expected I’d be paid the same to do significantly more, with a less flexible schedule. It fucking sucks, and yes I have felt punished for my reproductive choices. 
I do however support business that can offer flex time to do so for everyone. I strongly support work run day cares when appropriate, or companies somehow reimbursing child care expenses. I also very much favor state child care help in various forms, particularly for lower income workers, but I’m fine with raising the income bar right now. I’m not really sure what other options there are, but I’m open to hearing them.

Answer

I don’t really know that there is more to be done than flex scheduling and reiterating the expectations of productivity. If at that point, a parent is still having too much trouble getting their work in and caring for the children, I think it’s up to them to figure it out. Whether that’s finding outside childcare or quitting the job or something else is up to them. I get that it’s difficult, but nobody is having an easy go of this. Most childless individuals I’ve interacted with at my company feel that they are doing a similar amount of work as they were before, and appreciate that the flexibility is there so they can work as they choose. They generally get that working from home with a kid attached to you is not a walk in the park.

Answer

Stay closed. I'd rather have a long day at work and being a mother than sending my kid to a day care when its not safe and them dying. I think ALL businesses need to be closed and work from home only, for at least another 3/4 months if not MORE. No one should be going out. A mask, social distancing, washing hands may help slow down covid but will not prevent you from possibly getting it. No business should have to worry to help me and my child, its my responsibility to adapt to this change.

What should businesses be doing to help parents during COVID?

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