Remote work offers the possibility of a flexible schedule, but as many working parents have found, it does not mean the end of childcare expenses. As many two-income families found during the pandemic, when many offices, many daycares, and most schools were closed, concentrating on work with kids running about did not work well.
Flexible work hours allow a remote employee to pick Johnny up from soccer practice or stay home occasionally when Heather is sick. It may allow you to work at night and during nap time. What having flexible full-time hours does not do is alleviate the need for childcare, whether by having staggered hours with your partner, taking the kids to grandma’s, or paying for a babysitter or daycare provider.
Why Parents Can’t Manage Full-Time Work And Childcare
According to Brie Weiler Reynolds, Director of Online Content at FlexJobs, who works remotely with a one-year-old son, the ability to multitask work and parental duties is a myth. Most work tasks require concentration, while kids need the focus on them, especially in their younger years.
Arguably, in a pinch, a multitasking parent could perform some duties while keeping their eye on the kids, but even entry-level tasks can take longer or be done inaccurately when attention is split. Someone who does customer service, bookkeeping, or graphic design – common work-from-home jobs – can’t work when the environment is noisy or has too many distractions.
During Covid, many stories (and humorous videos) emerged of working parents interrupted by kids during Zoom meetings. Their coworkers, often dealing with kids at home as well, understood the occasional interruption. Crisis times aside, people working at home are expected to be professional. Anyone with a career job who wants to be taken seriously, given more responsibility, and advance to higher positions won’t be taken seriously if their parenting intrudes on the job.
These realities mean that remote workers, as well as on-site personnel, must have outside childcare set up – and have a backup plan for days the child is sick or the daycare is closed.
The Childcare Struggle Is Real
A recent report by McKinsey shows that the top five concerns working parts have about childcare for children 5 and under are affordability, quality, reliability, convenience, and accessibility. Affordability is the utmost concern for both men and women and salaried and hourly employees. The concern is greater among women and hourly employees.
Childcare is an expensive proposition that causes many women in low-paying jobs to do the math that proves that it costs them as much (or nearly as much) to work outside the home and pay for childcare as to stay home and not work.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) says affordable childcare should not require more than 7% of the family’s household income. Standard full-time childcare costs exceed an average of $9,400, so a family needs a median household income of $130,000 to afford that. Other studies indicate 72% pay 10% of their family’s income for infant care in a center, while 51% of respondents spend more than 20%.
As those surveyed by McKenzie show, 34% of women who left the workforce did so because of the expense or availability of childcare. When people leave the workforce, the result may be holes in their resumes or periods of time spending jobs where they are overqualified. Only 20% of men left for the same reason.
The report offers other interesting stats about workers and childcare. Women and hourly workers are the most impacted.
| . | Women | Men |
| Received fewer professional development opportunities | 57% | 38% |
| Temporarily left the workforce, reduced hours, changed jobs | 43% | NA |
| Did not pursue promotions | 40% | 40% |
| Felt childcare responsibilities have kept them from taking on more work | 49% salaried | 35% salaried |
| Felt childcare responsibilities have kept them from taking on more work | 61% hourly | 40% hourly |
While workers opt for the flexibility of remote work, childcare remains a major issue whether they are home or commuting to an office.
What Employers Can Do To Lessen Childcare Expenses
Whether workers are full-time in the office, hybrid, or remote, the need for help with childcare is crucial. Employers can contribute or establish on-site childcare facilities.
- 69 % of female job seekers with children under five prefer employers who contribute to childcare or have on-site childcare.
- 40% of jobholders would stay in their jobs rather than leave if on-site childcare options were available.
- 38% would stay if the employer-assisted with childcare costs.
As employers assess staffing levels, job descriptions, duties, and suitability for remote or hybrid work, there needs to be a discussion of offering reasonably-priced childcare assistance as a benefit. Affordable, reliable, quality healthcare can be a tool for attracting and retaining top talent.
