Tips on supporting working parents—and how IQ is there to support you

Work-life balance. It’s not a new term, but it’s one the pandemic has thrown into the spotlight. The events of the last couple years, particularly the movement toward remote work, have accelerated a need for companies to provide flexibility to their employees. Employees expect it too: they’re looking for companies that recognize them as humans outside their day-to-day work and who value their need to balance their career with family and life’s responsibilities.

Balance is key for any employee, from any walk of life—and especially so for working parents, who are juggling full-time work alongside the full-time job of being a caregiver. So what can you as a company do to make parents feel supported and set up for success?

Read on for our tips on how you can support employees who are working parents. Plus, find out how iQ is here to help make that even easier for you.

5 tips to support working parents

1 – Analyze your current company policies

The first step in supporting working parents is to look at what your company is already doing. Where are you doing well, and where could you improve? Do your company policies and practices support all types of parents and families—from men, to women, to adoptive and foster parents, to grandparents and other family caregivers? You can also survey employees and get their thoughts on how the company could support them as working parents.

2 – Offer flexibility

Flexibility in the workplace is key for so many reasons, from helping your team be more productive and energized to nurturing their creativity. For working parents, flexibility can help them balance their responsibilities at home with their job. This can mean offering team members the chance to work at hours that work best for them: for example, starting early so they can get home in time for family dinner and bedtime, or starting a bit later so they can take on the morning school run. Hybrid in-office/work-from-home arrangements are also a great way to offer this flexibility, because it allows team members to be there for their kids when needed, whether it’s planned appointments or unexpected illness.

3 – Be mindful with meetings

Meetings and collaboration sessions, whether they’re virtual or in-person, are an essential part of any organization’s culture, helping team members connect, share ideas and move projects forward. That said, one big way you can support working parents is by encouraging asynchronous work time too, allowing team members to get in the focused work time they need at a time that works for them. When you are scheduling team meetings and synchronous work time, particularly if employees are working remotely, try not to schedule it during times when their kids might be going to bed, heading to school in the morning or eating dinner.

4 – Trust your team

You’ve given your team members flexibility in how and when they work—make sure you follow that up by trusting them and having faith in their ability to get the job done. As well, be mindful of assumptions or internal bias you might have about team members’ abilities and goals based on their status as a parent or caregiver.

5 – Offer family-friendly benefits

Keep employees’ families in mind when choosing a benefits plan and creating company policies. This can include healthcare and dental care for dependants, parental leave, caregiving leave, childcare support or fertility/IVF support. Including benefits like this in your company policies is a big draw for working parents and shows them your company cares about the needs of an employee’s entire family.

5 ways iQ supports working parents

1 – Flexible hours

With 24-hour access to our offices, offering flexibility to your team of when they work is simple. Team members can come in early or stay late—whatever works best for them and their family.

2 – Easy access to transit

Our offices are located in prime downtown locations, cutting down on your team’s commuting time and giving them back time to spend with their families.

3 – Zoom technology in meeting rooms

Our meeting rooms are equipped with Zoom technology to make calling into meetings quick and easy, supporting team members who may need to work remotely while balancing family responsibilities.

4 – Mail handling services

Never miss a package again! Our team will take care of your team’s mail and packages so your team has one less detail to worry about and can keep their focus on what matters.

5 – Complimentary snacks and coffee

Parents already pack lunches for their kids, so we’re doing something for them. Fuel your team with snacks at all our offices, plus unlimited fresh brewed coffee.