More than half of families have two working parents. Although there are plenty of financial advantages associated with both parents working, it can also be challenging for working parents to balance their personal and professional obligations, especially when many schools and daycares are virtual. It’s equally essential for architecture firms to find ways to recruit and support working parents since they are some of the best candidates out there. Here are some practical things that managers can do to support parents in the workforce.
Determine Which Benefits are Most Important
A growing number of businesses are leveraging employee resource groups to gather feedback from working parents regarding their support. A coalition of executives from the tech industry even launched an Invest in Parents Pledge to raise awareness and better understand employees’ needs with kids. Here are some steps that companies are taking to support working families:
- Expanding parental leave
- Online classes
- Tutoring for kids of employees
- Meal and grocery delivery
- Monthly stipends for lifestyle benefits
Architecture firms have to focus on helping to meet the childcare needs of working parents. On-site childcare is growing in popularity. It could be the difference between hiring and retaining more working parents for design jobs. Some businesses can even qualify for government subsidies to sponsor childcare facilities or start on-site centers.
Stay Flexible
Parents that are working from home need even more support and flexibility from employers right now. Architecture recruiters stress the importance of creating job listings that highlight flexible scheduling and a better work-life balance. Leaders also need to remember that working parents might not be as productive during traditional working hours when remote learning is also taking place in many households. Be aware that certain meeting times might not be as convenient to work parents either.
Promote a Positive Work Environment
Don’t overlook the power of empathetic leadership. Train managers to be sensitive to the needs of working parents. They can be the key to building a trusting work environment through honest communication and understanding the challenges faced by diverse employees. Some organizations have found success by sharing internal resources that connect working parents with others experiencing the same challenges right now, like homeschooling. Or provide working parents with additional wellness days to show support.
Balancing work and home life isn’t getting any more manageable. If more architecture firms fail to make some of these meaningful changes, they may miss out on these diverse, qualified candidates for architecture jobs now and in the future.
Contact us to discuss how we can bring top leadership talent to your firm. David Brown International is s a global leader in executive recruiting and placement of top tier talent in Architecture, Design, and Technology. Our mission is to create a lasting legacy of success, growth, and profitability for our clients, candidates, and employees.
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