To insist my staff have childcare in place?

[willandgrace]

Several of the staff I manage have young kids, we've supported them all year to WFH with kids at home. We are still primarily working from home but as schools/childcare are now open I have said that people need to have appropriate childcare in place while working from home, the same as they would have if they were office based (as they all were previously) - some of the staff are not happy about this but AIBU?

YABU because we are still in a period of change and flux. Lots of childcare facilities or arrangements still aren't operating as normal. I would revisit it in another while tbh

Their kids aren't your responsibility. Yes, no one knew there'd be a pandemic when deciding to have kids. But that doesn't make it anyone's else's job to sort out. You shouldn't be losing money (which you are if you're paying people the same amount to do less work) so they can save money on childcare 🤨 how ridiculous.

Lots of primary age wraparound care isn't available yet. Our before and after school clubs are not open. Extra curricular clubs aren't back. I have a childcare bubble with one set of grandparents but usually rely on all the sets of grandparents for emergency care and obviously can't ask them to help if my kids are sent home to isolate. Things are far from normal for primary kids so I think you need to be flexible for a bit longer

Yeah you're a million miles out of line here, maybe take a step back and consider what you are saying.

You have every right to insist that they work as normal and complete their tasks etc but it's not up to you to parent someone's children.

If there is a specific case where someone isn't coping then raise it individually like a decent manager should rather than blanket rules on how people live their lives.

Good luck

@willandgrace

We do have a home working policy but it doesn't cover this scenario - the quality of work has definitely dropped, even though most staff are adamant they are more productive than ever I think they aren't happy because they don't want to pay for childcare when they are at home and may have concerns about mixing with others but should I really be expected to support that? Not helped by the fact my kids are older teenagers so the ruling doesn't impact me

So what ages do you think you need childcare for? You’ll struggle to come up with a rule that is fair for all. Primary age children need it but secondary ok? Would you accept an older teenager as the childcare (I.e. siblings 16 and 9?) and what about 14 yo?

As I said. Manage output; don’t add in stringent rules that can either be worked around or don’t make sense.

Whilst schools nurseries etc are open the kids should be there.

Obviously it's Easter holidays so kids are off school so makes it more tricky that parents are still being told to only have 1 source of childcare.

Our childcare has always been grandparents so right through the worst of the pandemic dh being a key worker did nearly double the hours some weeks and I had to stay home to school and look after the dc.
Ok as a temporary measure but god it was hard on everyone.

Since they went back on 8 March dh hours are bak to normal and I'm furloughed but due back next week.

For the week I'm bak and the kids are off still grand parents will fill the gap for us so we are really lucky but I have friends that are wfh full time still that don't have that option

Parents and children have had it hard this last year juggling not only the practical side but the growing amount of home schooling expected as well as the mental side but that seems to never be mentioned.

Cut them some slack op but maybe put in writing that from when the schools nurseries etc return after Easter work production needs to go back up

You're not being unreasonable long term - I used to manage a remote team, and childcare was required for the entire length of the shift. It's pretty common in normal times, albeit there was always a few people who would interview and say that they'd rather do the childcare themselves...

Right now, I'd be offering some leeway - as I would introducing a policy like this anyway - as some childcare isn't open, and some people won't have childcare lined up yet, but I'd be making it clear what's allowed, what's not, and what the consequences are.

Yanbu.
Childcare options aren't as available as usual but that isn't the employer's fault, or problem.

YANBU, they wouldn't bring the kids into the office on a regular basis, they need to organise childcare.

but should I really be expected to support that?

For as long as there are any restrictions in place, yes, you absolutely should.

YANBU. Nurseries and schools are open again. If they are working they are working and not looking after kids. I would give some leniency over the school holidays as not all clubs are back yet but during term time it is fine to specify that.

I would say there is a grey line. I have a 5 and 9 year old. During school holidays we send them to activities and clubs most days but they are perfectly capable of watching tv or playing nicely in the garden for an hour or two without disturbing the parent working from home. ( who works through lunch break if needed)

@willandgrace

We do have a home working policy but it doesn't cover this scenario - the quality of work has definitely dropped, even though most staff are adamant they are more productive than ever I think they aren't happy because they don't want to pay for childcare when they are at home and may have concerns about mixing with others but should I really be expected to support that? Not helped by the fact my kids are older teenagers so the ruling doesn't impact me

I would update your policy to state "WFH can't be used in place of childcare" that's what mine states and always has done - I'm grateful my employer has given us a lot of flexibility over the last year but now that schools are back and childminders are open then to continue to abuse employers good will is taking the piss

YABU. I don't believe your workers are just randomly saying 'oh no, we like this combining small children with a job thing so much that we're not using the readily available childcare'.

More likely there are complicated factors such as grandparent care not being available and it being impossible to find alternative care such as childminders or nursery. Or if kids were going to return to family care then why would you start them in a nursery for a couple of weeks, and why would the nursery have them? You'd potentially be paying nursery fees you know you wouldn't use.

Plus all childcare and schooling is subject to self isolation periods imposed at zero notice. There's no childcare cover for that.

I'd be saying 'get your work done by the end of the week, up to you how you do it'.

Basically, the pandemic hasn't ended yet so YABU to expect people to act as if it had. If I was one of your workers I'd be looking for a new job asap if you showed me that kind of petty and uncaring attitude.

Do you have flexible working where they can start early, work late...work around childcare? Do you have a work log system for wfh...so staff have to record work assigned/completed, give reasons for delay etc. Wfh can work fabulously well for most, incl employer.. but it also allows for some slackers who'll take the full hour for lunch & add on a walk to park with Junior or are only half concentrating as they are also building a Lego castle. I would say your request likely sounds unfair to those who are fully committed & making up any time lost to Junior during the day...and unfair to any slackers ..but they might be slackers anyway even if in office. Plus how will you police if there are kids in the home or not?? A Zoom might reveal...but equally might not...or for the rest of the time off camera? Do you have particular cpncerns that work is not gettkng done or there are issues with wfh? If so, I'd explain they are paid to work X hrs per day, that is the commitment you need, your preference is 9-5 (whatever) that office based will return in phases & for those continuing to wfh during that period that work log/diary will be implemented. I think most of stats/surveys show employer usually get a high reward for wfh/flexible options...but you'll always get a pisstaker, I think.

I have struggled to find after school and holiday care this month, the normal after school club is not restarting. I appreciate my work still giving me some flexibility. I would assume I will have a holiday club option by summer as more things ease but even breakfast club isn’t full numbers yet. So if you demanded I had childcare I would be taking leave ( paid or unpaid) and having to find a new job, not because I haven’t bothered to find childcare but because it isn’t there currently.

What's your flexible working policy, OP?

Lots of employees are using WFH to save money on childcare...... no one is productive with primary age and younger Children at home

I'd be staring all employees return to the office

Grandparents are largely vaccinated now and childcare bubbles have always been in place so there really is no excuse

I despair, so many women doing the patriarchy’s work for it. 😞

YANBU as schools and nurseries are now open.
I would be more lenient than usual incase getting a place with a childminder is harder at the moment and whilst they were closed I would understand why their work was maybe not as good as it should be but now I’d be getting them back in the office if their work isn’t good enough and they’re refusing to get childcare.

I would work with them to offer flexibility if possible but they need to up their productivity. If their productivity is demonstratably low then they need to work out how to increase it. If they are at risk of capability proceedings let them know.

Ah. Is this a reverse?

Grandparents are largely vaccinated now and childcare bubbles have always been in place so there really is no excuse

Well theres the "excuse" of not having available or alive grandparents to do childcare, for a start

My workplace has this in their WFH contract - if you wish to wfh long term you must commit to having childcare in place. Obviously the pandemic has been different as everyone had to be home and it wasn't under the contract, and no childcare was available.

But once childcare reopens I think it's entirely reasonable to say that your employee should not be responsible for the care of a child under a certain age during their working hours. Random sickness and self isolation are exceptions but in general I don't think it's reasonable to try and do both.

What is the plan in the medium term, is it everyone back in the office or continued wfh/flexi? I think if wfh is to continue in any guise you need to create a wfh policy which addresses this

You need to manage their output not put blanket rules in. Is their flexible hours?