A new survey of the Irish workforce by IrishJobs.ie reveals that nearly half (49%) of working parents have missed up to five days of work in the past twelve months due to a lack of available childcare supports.
The IrishJobs.ie survey found that childcare arrangements most frequently lie with grandparents or another family member (37%). This is followed by Montessori or creches (30%), childminders (21%), and after-school clubs (12%).
The research shows that despite the reliance on extended family for regular childcare duties, 37% of respondents have no back-up childcare arrangements in place in the eventuality of their child being sick. Only 6% are in a position to take paid time off to care for their sick child.
When respondents were asked what supports they would like to see put in place by their employer, 97% said they would avail of onsite childcare, 95% said they would avail of subsidised childcare, and 92% were in favour of the option of job-sharing.
Other suggestions included employee assistance programmes, which provide services to ease the burden on busy parents (90%), the option to work from home (76%), and flexible working hours (57%).
Research shows that employee absenteeism costs €490 million a year to the Irish economy. IrishJobs.ie say that aside from the financial impact, it can also have a negative effect on the overall productivity of the business.
Commenting on the results, IrishJobs.ie General Manager, Orla Moran said, "In Ireland, as in most of Western Europe, it is now entirely normal for both parents to work full-time. This places a huge strain on families and poses a weekly juggling act for working parents. Employers need to understand that if they are to retain good employees and keep absenteeism low, they will need to provide adequate supports for every step of life’s journey."
She added, "While there is clear room for improvement, many employers are getting things right. A surprisingly high percentage of those surveyed are quite positive about their employer’s efforts to support working parents."
Source: www.businessworld.ie
