Improve employee experience with family-friendly flexibility

Employers have an opportunity to truly create a family-friendly work environment by integrating more flexibility into the employee experience. Employees will spend 30% of their time this year working.¹ In addition, employees must fulfill personal and family obligations. This isn't easy to do—especially when caring for loved ones. A recent report from S&P Global and AARP found that 67% of family caregivers have difficulty balancing their jobs with caregiving duties.²

When employees don't have access to family-friendly services and policies, it can have a negative impact on their productivity, their career progression, and ultimately, on their employers' business. Research shows the following challenges:²

• 27% of working caregivers have shifted from full-time to part-time work or have reduced hours.
• 16% have turned down a promotion.
• 16% have stopped working entirely for a period of time.
• 13% have changed employers to meet caregiving responsibilities.

While family-friendly policies have come a long way, there is still a need for more support and workplace policies that help all caregivers.

Who needs family-friendly flexibility?

When people discuss caregiving, they often think only about working parents with children. But caregiving is not limited to caring for kids. Employee caregivers may be responsible for a chronically ill, disabled, or aging spouse, parent, or other family member.

Research shows that employees feel employers are more understanding of childcare issues than issues that arise when caring for adult loved ones.² Employers also seem more considerate of employees who work in the office and must balance job and family obligations than remote workers who must do the same.² However, regardless of age or work location, all caregiving employees must juggle career and family responsibilities. Employers should view caregiving situations equally when creating a family-friendly workplace.

How can employers integrate family-friendly flexibility?

Family-friendly flexibility is when an employer is intentional about creating an environment that supports working caregivers. This is evident in company policies and culture when family-friendly programs are offered to employees.

Potential policies may include:

• Remote work opportunities - Integrating remote, hybrid, or occasional work-from home days can ease commute challenges and encourage work-life balance.
• Flexible work schedules - Allowing employees to work earlier or later can accommodate health and wellness appointments or school transportation responsibilities.
• Day care assistance - Providing financial assistance for quality childcare or adult day care or offering care centers onsite can ease some of the stress for employees who need family support while they work.
• Parental leave - Developing generous leave policies for all new parents, whether they are the birth parent, adoptive parent, or foster parent, demonstrates a genuine commitment to supporting families.

Company culture examples include:

• Employee resource groups - Creating employee resource groups for various caregiving scenarios allows employees to network and connect on similar issues. This can be a safe community to share advice, provide resources, and host events with community organizations that can help. It is also a channel to communicate the company's family-friendly benefits and perks.
• Work-life balance reminders - Designing health and wellness programs that encourage employees to take a moment to exercise or rest is helpful. This could be offering discounted gym memberships; fitness, meditation, or yoga classes (onsite or virtual); or access to financial advice, mental health services, or life coaches. Employers should also promote taking breaks during the workday, coordinating official workdays with no meetings, scheduling company-wide mental health days, and reminding employees to use vacation time.

There are benefits for everyone when employers prioritize creating a family-friendly work environment with flexible policies and programs. Employees are more productive and engaged, and it is an attractive recruitment tool for future talent. Employers can also boost employee health by helping to reduce stress, which can lower health care costs. Family-friendly flexibility allows employers to offer solutions as a trusted partner when employees are faced with real life caregiving challenges. This will only deepen the employee's commitment, connection, and loyalty to the company.

Allstate Benefits can help with flexible family care

We all need a pal sometimes. That's why Allstate Benefits partners with Papa to offer flexible family care benefits to employees and their loved ones. Papa delivers personalized, in-person support for employees and their loved ones nationwide via its curated network of Papa Pals. These are compassionate individuals who serve as a reliable source of assistance and added reinforcement during life's challenging moments.

Collaboration with Papa provides a variety of benefits, including increased productivity, enhanced well-being, and support for a changing workforce. Allstate Benefits voluntary insurance and group health plan options can give employees access to 10 hours of help from a Papa Pal during the first year of coverage. If they need more time, they can purchase hours directly through Papa. Contact an Allstate Benefits Representative to learn more.

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