Tell CBI what you think employers could do for parents to make it easier to balance work and family life? £250 voucher to be won!NOW CLOSED

[MichelleMumsnet]

As part of The Great Business Debate campaign, The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) have asked us to find out what Mumsnetters think employers could do better to make it easier for parents to balance work and family life.

Here’s what CBI say, “The Great Business Debate is a CBI led campaign to help build public confidence in business.

"Only around half of people believe business makes a positive contribution to society and we want to play a part in increasing that figure. We are doing this by:
• Setting out the facts and combatting myths about what business does and the contribution it makes
• Encouraging people to give us their views on business and where it needs to do more
• Providing an opportunity for business to take part in a constructive conversation about what it does and how it does it

"As employees, our experiences of working life have a big impact on our view of business. Companies of all sizes rely on their people for success, and want to make use of the best talents available. But there is an ongoing debate about whether employers are doing enough to ensure parents – and especially mums – are supported to balance their family and work life, without having to sacrifice one for the other. We're sponsoring this discussion with Mumsnetters to hear your views.”

So, what do you think employers could do to make it easier for parents returning to work to find a balance between family life and work? Maybe you’d like more employers to encourage flexible working hours? Or perhaps to prioritise parents when employees request to have annual leave during school holidays? Whatever it is, we’d love to hear it!

Everyone who comments on this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one Mumsnetter will win a £250 Love2Shop voucher.

CBI are also hosting a round table event on this topic on Wednesday 26th November in Central London, which will be attended by business leaders and not-for-profit organisations, as well as Justine, our CEO. There are two places reserved for Mumsnetters also. If you’d be interested in attending then please PM me, we will then select two Mumsnetters at random.

Please note: Please be aware your anonymised comments may be re-used by the CBI on their websites, over social media and for broader PR purposes.

Thanks and good luck
MNHQ

No Arch - this thread is not about couples sorting things out for themselves or accepting that if one half is a high flyer the other half has to pick up the skack. It's about looking for solutions to ensure thats NOT what working parents have to settle for.

slack

To be able to work from home in the school holidays.

Offering flexible working. I am lucky and my job is based at home and can be very flexible :)

i'd really like to see more Flexibility

Make childcare vouchers available for more types of childcare such as babysitters for after school. These were so so handy when my children were at nursery but now they both at school I sm still forking out a lot for childcare but because I use babysitters who are not ofsted registered I cannot use the (tax saving) benefit of these vouchers....

Oops realised that the above is more of a governmental issue than an employer one.

Employers could be more transparent about flexible working arrangements and parental leave requests and when they have granted or not granted these. They are legal rights to request but companies have discretion as to what works for them and so it would be good if HR departments / managements were more open about what they are open to....

If there were more cultural acceptance that being a parent brings 50% responsibility for childcare, we would find employers reflecting that attitude and providing ways for parents to be parents as well as valued employees. We both work full time and DS has a nanny, and outside of that I and DH do half the childcare each. For him, this is FAR more than all other partners I know (not limited to men either). To help that, I think employers could write policies that expect parents to provide childcare, and expect each parent to take time off to care for their child, eg dads taking an equal chunk of paternity leave as mums do. My DH would have had to quit his job to do that, which isn't fair.

If I ruled the country, all mums would look after the baby from 0-1 and partners would do full time from 1-2 regardless of 'who earns more' or 'who has a more demanding job'. If you choose to become a parent, there should be childcare involved, for the good of the child and your relationship with him/her.

Flexible working hours and working from home. Trusting people to get the job done rather than insisting on specifying the hours they sit at a particular desk in a particular location.

My husband and I are lucky in that both our employers are pretty good for this - which in turn makes us both far more enthusiastic about our work and willing to put in extra effort for them too,

We all understand that employers have a company to run but if they are flexible the employee becomes more loyal and more inclined to be flixible back.

Flexible working hours and child care vouchers

I was made redundant just before I had my second child. I was lucky later to find a job that allowed me to work from home. I have complete flexibility on when I work so I can always be there fore my kids and can make up hours in the evenings when they're asleep. I think its as good as it gets. Why can't there be more work from home roles for highly qualified parents who don't want to return to a workplace? All my communication is managed by email with the occasional phone call. I only met my colleagues after working with them for a year which was strange I'll admit! I realise it wouldn't work for every role but there must be such a lot of wasted talent not returning to work because it won't fit in with their family

Law and custom, as in other European countries, that prevents people from emailing on work matters at the weekend or after an appropriate time at night. You know, if someone stays behind at work after official hours in Germany they are not seen as supercommitted, they are seen as inefficient, because they did not get stuff done in contracted hours. we need a culture like that which cherishes home time as away from work time. The boundaries have blurred massively over the years.

Flexible hours and understanding when children are poorly.

Encourage Dads to leave promptly in the evening.

I think flexible hours for both parents are important, so that they can share the dropping off and picking up of the children.

Employers should make job shares more accessible, so mothers can return to work part time if they wish.

Child care next to the workplace would be very useful.

work from home or more flexi time

Before having my daughter i had been working at the same company for 7 years. I just couldn't bare the thought of not seeing my daughter for 8 hours so decided not to go back. I think it would be a great idea to have creches at work. It would mean i could go and see her on my breaks. Im on hand if there is a problem and i think it would make going back to work easier. I now work from home as a childminder which suits me down to the ground and i wouldnt change it for the world.

Flexible working hours ie. starting early and leaving early or annualised working hours without feeling like your employer is doing you a favour that you'll have to repay at some point with overtime or what not...

Flexible working without a doubt.. I now work from home, but when i was office based part-time my employers allowed me to work 10 till 2 during term time and then switch to 5 till 9 during school holidays so DH could take over when he got in from work. I didn't have to pay childcare and the children benefited by being solely looked after by their parents.

Flexible working.
Childcare vouchers.
Graded return from maternity leave e.g. Returning for short days for the first three months.
Support for fathers to take carer leave to look after sick children.
Longer term flexible options e.g. Going part time for a fixed period, say up to 5 years.

Flexible working hours and possible gradual return to work! also the ability to leave if there is an emergency! working from home would be good options too

Compromise, childcare and equal rights for Dads. Everytime my husband has tried to change his shift to help he has been asked why can't your wife do it? That's not fair as childcare should be shared equally. Every situation is different so there shouldn't be a one policy to fit all, however being a parent does not mean you should get extra rights to any other employee, if flexible working is should be to all who need it including those who look after parents as well. If employers created crèches then childcare wouldn't be an issue as long as the crèche worked round the hours of the business, if this can't be done work with other businesses in the area and help source good local childcare that would suit your business and perhaps a discount for your employees. At least that buys you time to find a solution for when they start going to school as not all jobs can be work from home. Happy employees are more productive and if they are not worrying about their kids they can do their job more effectively.

There is still a stigma attached to working part time, this needs to be stopped as part timers can contribute just as effectively as full time workers and is often a cost thing that full time is just not financially viable, not a luxury because you don't need the money

Encourage all staff to have flexitime and help employees understand exactly how this could work for them if they are a traditional 9-5 company. This could help mums and dads share the child care drop of and pick ups.

Leave without pay for a longer period would have helped me, I didn't feel ready to go back after a year but another 6 months could have made all the difference.

Above all being understanding about the issues you have when you have children and not making you feel guilty or worried abut your job security or promotion if you have to leave early.

Flexible working and working from home are also benefits but school hours working or job shares are often great ways for employers to help families.