BEING a parent is no easy task. A parent must provide both physical and emotional support for their children while also dealing with their own physical and emotional needs.
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused a rise in fears and anxiety in children. Children face many uncertainties and limitations such as school closures, movement restrictions resulting in them being unable to meet their friends or go to the playground like they used to.
Many children have developed a fear of going out, of being next to another person or being stuck in crowded places. In addition, having to spend long hours at home will cause a lot of anxious feelings in children.
Adults have the option of taking a breather and stepping outside of the house when they go to work or do simple daily tasks such as going to the grocery store. This is not the same for children who have been forced to stay home over the past two years. Spending long hours at home can affect just about anybody.
As humans, we cope with everyday life stressors by having many different coping mechanisms. This includes meeting up with our friends, enjoying our hobbies or going to the park, etc. For children who are stuck at home all the time, many coping mechanisms are taken away. This will eventually affect their mental health.
This pandemic has also caused parents to battle with stress and anxiety, especially for working parents who have to meet their children’s needs while still fulfilling their responsibilities as employees.
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought changes to the everyday schedule of working parents. Many of them have had to suddenly adapt to a home workspace along with their kids, who also have had to adapt to a home-based learning space.
This situation has resulted in working parents finding themselves in a difficult predicament. Most parents have had to modify their work routines to adapt to caregiving needs and balance their family’s responsibilities. Working remotely full time while looking after their kids is no easy feat.
A working mother that we spoke to has shared that she found it difficult to balance between meeting her deadlines and ensuring that her children attend their online classes. She shared that if she is not there to supervise her children, they would miss their classes.
She also shared how difficult it was to navigate between each child’s online schedule while struggling with insufficient devices. Sometimes, she has to prioritise her older children because they don’t have enough devices.
The situation faced by this mother is just one example of the many challenges faced by working parents. Some parents share that working from home has resulted in disregarded boundaries by employers in terms of expectations towards staff availability.
There is no end to calls and online meetings because everything is at the click of your finger or one Zoom call away.
Some parents still have to go to the office on some days, so they have to leave their children home unmonitored. Some parents failed to meet their work deadlines because their children constantly need their attention and help.
Dealing with these situations, along with caring for their children, fulfilling their duties as employees, have increased the level of stress and anxiety in parents.
The gradual reopening of schools and economic sectors indicate that a hybrid work and schooling model of in-person and online methods will continue for the near future.
This brings us to the question – “What can an employer do to support their staff and ensure the long-term productivity of their team members?”
Below are some suggestions for companies to consider.
Supporting parents
How can companies support parents with children during the Covid-19 pandemic?
1. Putting policies in place
Companies can put policies into place to support their employees with children or other family members to care for during this challenging time.
2. Flexible working hours
The needs of working parents are based on their context and realities. Different types of flexible work arrangements can provide the support parents need to care for their children while still fulfilling their duties as employees. Flexible work policies can take different shapes based on the company’s specific needs.
Companies can give parents the option of choosing to start their workday earlier or later. This can give parents time to plan their everyday routine with their children. Another option is to give employees freedom over when, where and how they complete assignments.
Having something called “Core Work Hours” can also be helpful. Core work hours provide a fixed time for employees to be in call meetings or connect with their supervisors/managers daily but allows them to fit in the remainder of their work hours when they can.
For example, from 10am to 2pm daily. This allows parents to work around mealtime, bedtime and even work around their children’s remote class schedules.
3. Regular check-in and communication
While companies can create many different types of flexibility for their employees, no solution can fit all. Companies must create multiple channels of communication that allow their employees to give feedback on the things that are working for them and sharing what additional support they may need.
Creating an inclusive and conducive workplace culture takes time and cannot happen overnight. Employers must make efforts to check in regularly with their employees. It can be as simple as asking how their day was to asking them if they need any support at home.
4. Help employees access care and having support groups
Workplaces should provide emotional support for their employees who feel anxious and stressed. Companies can help connect their employees to available and ready to go counselling groups or provide access to counselling services in their companies.
This can provide the opportunity for working parents to share the stress and burden they face as well as support them in helping their children cope with anxiety and fear.
Many parents go through everyday stress alone which may affect their work. Companies can also create a support group for each department and between their employees. This support group can allow employees to share and exchange ideas of how they navigate work and taking care of their children.
5. Plan and support for employees when their children contract Covid-19
Having a plan in place if one of the employees’ children contract Covid-19 can provide peace of mind for working parents. A quarantined, sick child needs proper supervision and empowering them to work from home or taking paid leave to care for their children at a moment’s notice is essential.
Simultaneously, a plan needs to be put in place to help employees transition from working in the office to working from home when they need to step out of the office for a few weeks for their children.
6. Reduce financial burdens
Companies can provide employment protection for their staff such as the option of paid sick leave as well as child benefits for their employees who are parents.
As we navigate yet another new norm in these trying times, we must recognise that supporting our employees now will go a long way in terms of a company’s continued growth and long-term sustainability.
Supporting our employees as they support their families, especially their children will go a long way in terms of our nations’ growth and sustainability. – The Vibes, September 30, 2021
Shaney Cheng is the co-founder of Safety Programme Emboldening Adolescents, Kids, and Society (Speaks).
