WFH and childcare

[MoominGang]

We had a new employee joining the team recently in a role that’s fully WFH. It’s now became apparent that childcare is an issue and the plan has always been to work with a small child around. I’m the manager in this scenario and completely exhausted with people who think this is appropriate and fair for both child and employer. It’s not the first case like this either. We’re not allowed to ask about personal situation and childcare situation at interview stage but I feel this needs to change.
Only here to vent…

It must be affecting her performance, surely? There's no way I could do my job with a baby / toddler around. Have you initiated a performance improvement plan? If she realises her job is on the line I'm sure she'll find childcare pretty damn quickly! You're talking like there's nothing you can do about this.

I think you need to remind her of company policy via email. Speak to HR. If she has no childcare after the deadline then you need to speak to HR and go down the probation, performance, discipline route. HR work in the favour of the company and company policies, they will help ensure all t's are crossed and I's dotted when it comes to the disciplinary procedures.

I also can’t ever imagine doing my job with a toddler around. Having a 4 year old during lockdown was hard enough and obviously no alternative possible.
I don’t understand how this is not very bad parenting/even neglect - nobody can look after a very young child properly AND work a FT job looking at a screen 5 days a week. (Even if the child naps a lot). Poor child can’t get much quality time or stimulation.

This was flagged up to HR and board. Our contracts stipulate that all attention needs to be given to job during working hours, this includes childcare. The information is also in the company handbook. And every semi intelligent person should know that a small child can’t be left unattended for long periods of time.
She has been given a deadline to find childcare but still doesn’t understand why this is needed.

I think some people with low maintenance kids in the non mobile bit think it's easy - then they start moving around and you can't take your eyes off them, then they turn 2 and temporarily turn into satan, etc etc. it's not possible to do your job with a small child around, no matter how effective you've decided you are I guarantee you're not.

Glad to hear you were back up by HR/Board. I had this situation once and fortunately HR backed me up too, the staff member was most upset when I gave her a deadline for finding childcare and said I couldn't pass her probation otherwise as it was a breach of company policy. She was an executive assistant to the director and she genuinely thought she'd be able to fit her job in around the child?!! Fortunately she did manage to find childcare within a reasonable period and she is actually a fabulous employee now her attention is on the job.

It's just shit parenting and penny pinching.
If you can't afford childcare then you need to re think your job.

I'm not bothered about seeing pets. It's the ones who got puppies due to working from home that seem to spend half the day playing with and walking puppy.

Given that there is a deadline it is reasonable to not enter into further discussion. It is contractural, company policy and unprofessional.

Of course she understands. She just doesn’t want to spend the money. I feel so sorry for these children who don’t get enough proper attention.

Of course she understands, she is just being deliberately obtuse.

You've flagged company policy, HR are aware, she has a deadline. Balls now in her court now. Let's hope she makes the right decision. If not, fails probation and you've swerved a more tricky situation down the line.

Had this situation at work where employee asked to WFH full time to look after a baby. I questioned how she could work with a baby- we are talking 1 year old not 10 where they can occupy themselves. How can you perform in a role?
i got legal advice and was told o can’t ‘assume’ she won’t perform…
????? It’s flippin obvious!!!

DH and I both worked from home one day this week to look after our 15 month old who was ill so didn't even have the same amount of energy he usually has... it was a struggle!! We basically had to take it in turns to watch him and work in shifts 😂 how anyone does it alone every day and gets work done is beyond me!

It’s really annoying, and very widespread in my field of work, but less so for very young children. There are far fewer children attending the wraparound care that my DC attend now compared to pre pandemic. Friday is now just a handful of children. I see quite a few dads who WFH picking up their calm and quiet daughters at 315. I reckon they block out time in their diaries for school pickup (we don’t seem to have meetings around 3pm any longer) and the girls have some TV time. I’m probably just jealous - my DC are pestering for snacks as soon as they get through the door.

It's so annoying - people like her are going to ruin it for everyone! This is exactly how it is at my work (what PP said) most will WFH with kids at school age and just not do meetings over 3pm and it's TV and snack time when they get home. But no, looking after babies to pre-school kids is just impossible and you aren't going to be a good parent or a good employee if you attempt it. I'm still traumatised by WFH with a 1 year old during lockdown!

Make it a part of your HR policy. It's in our contract

Definitely something I advised given the amount of people wanting to wfh after Covid but the business doesn’t seem to want to! That would solve issues!

I manage a team and have exactly the same.
Even had a staff member telling me they couldn't do teams meetings on days their little one was around.
It goes on alot now.
I still have staff members who wfh with their children there and dintbqant ti cine into the office.

Can I ask, what is the thoughts on an employee working from home during the half terms and having their children around, but them not having caring responsibilities? My mum comes and looks after my children but due to having a small house with not many places to hide away to work, they something pop in when I’m in the middle of a teams call to ask me things knowing I'm in the house. It’s their house and so I can’t sent the out all the time I’m working and my mums place is not suitable for them to be in. Due to office set up, cannot always be in the office due to space.

A baby!!!!

As a manager of a fairly flexible employer I’m ok with parents booking off for a short while to do the school run and having older children home for the last couple of hours of the day if they can occupy themselves but baby’s need and deserve lots of attention.

I am sure she does know very well why her employer wants her undivided attention. I wouldn’t give this any more thought, she gets childcare or she leaves, it will set a good precedent.

If your children are of an age where they still need care and / or are interrupting, then you need to sort childcare in the school holidays.

When mine starts school next year, I will have him home while I WFH for an hour or so after school pick up. I can't see a big problem for an hour or so.

Full time with a baby is a bit nuts.

What's the big deal? If she is performing okay? You are being unreasonable people have lives and you don't own them.

People bring dogs into the office these days who cares if the baby has been spotted in meetings. My god listen to yourself

Are you for real?

As a PP said, the most I could get done is a bit of work during nap time. I don’t get how someone can do both at the same time and tbh I would question their parenting capabilities as they clearly won’t be watching their young child as much as needed. If someone is in a meeting, they aren’t looking after their child are they.

This is a joke right @bottomsup12