Workplace Childcare: Why it works

Talking About Workplace Childcare

Presented by Floyd Sully, Syscon Justice Systems Ltd and Nora Spinks, Work-Life Harmony Enterprises.

The following notes were live blogged from my Blackberry (given this, they may not be as complete as possible as my fingers could only type so fast!) during the WorkLife BC forum held today.  Key highlights from this presentation:

• Why employers could and should get involved…
• Average age of first time parents is 31. Grandparents are working and not able to support their children who are also work.
• Why Syscon Systems got involved. Approached by an employee who could not find child care and was going to have to leave the job. Syscon created their own onsite child care spaces.There is a link to Corporate Social Responsibilty by supporting employees with child care. Look to Netherlands as an interesting model – child care is tri funded by business, government and community.
• Employers can do direct and indirect support. There are a range of options.
• Why did Syscon choose to operate the program? There was no where to contract it out to. We wanted it on site.
• There are a lot of community partners available. The child care community would like to partners.
• There are a range of needs that parents need. The fastest growing need is back up care. Families also need extra types of care…extended hours, sick care etc.
• Syscon employs their own child care workers.
• It is a win win win win win for employees, managers, employers, organizations, communities, economy and society.
• Syscon finds that employee moral, recruitment, engagement. There are a lot more pregnancies happening. It creates a supportive work environment.
• It is the right thing to do.
• Syscon have 90 employees and 12 child care spaces.