Navigating School Closures

We talked to Joanne Swan about the impact of school closures on working parents and how employers can respond.

"With a new academic year starting, many schools across the country have been forced to temporarily close over infrastructure safety issues. For working parents, these unexpected closures create major challenges coordinating childcare and work. 

Disruption may, at its most extreme, result in children needing to be at home full-time. Even if not fully closed, affected schools may be making significant, last-minute changes to schedules. This adds burden at the already stressful back-to-school time for families. 

This of course impacts employers head-on too. We advise managers to proactively check in with employees who are parents - find out if their child's school is impacted and how it is affecting them professionally and personally. Creating an open, trusting environment where staff feel comfortable voicing concerns is key. 

While managers cannot fix every issue faced, showing care and understanding can greatly reduce the guilt many working parents feel trying to meet the needs of their family and their work responsibilities. Recognise the difficulties employees are facing. 

Provide flexibility where possible on schedules to accommodate childcare needs - remote work options, revised hours, time off, etc. Adjust expectations around workloads if necessary. Avoid one-size-fits-all policies. 

With empathy and adaptability, employers can lessen the strain on working parents dealing with this major disruption. Supporting staff through challenges demonstrates a commitment to their well-being and builds loyalty. Lead with understanding. In return, we know that working parents often reciprocate that commitment with immense gratitude, resulting in higher productivity and performance in the long term."

Read the article here.