According to a Catalyst study, about one-third of the U.
S.
labor force is less productive at work because they are concerned about what their children are doing after school.
The study estimates these worries cost businesses between $50 billion and $300 billion a year in productivity.
Catalyst is a non-profit research and advisory organization for professional women.
This study was based on a survey of 1,755 parents who work at one of three Fortune 100 companies across the United States.
The study further estimates at least 2.
5 million working parents are 'overly stressed' about after-school child care, and they're bringing that concern to the office.
The productivity loss ranges from minor disruptions to lower overall job satisfaction.
These stresses are worse for a single parent who has more of the child-care responsibilities, work longer hours or have older children--grade 6 through 12.
The study's respondents noted that control over the work schedule--arriving later, leaving earlier or taking off part of the workday when necessary--would ease their tensions.
The study found that many employers did, in fact, have flexible work arrangements available for all employees.
However, survey respondents, even those in leadership positions, said they feared that taking advantage of the options would jeopardize their careers.
European countries have long ago instituted company on-site child day care a.
k.
a.
day camp.
This made sense to Europeans: when their children are being well taken care of, parents worry less, take less time off, and are more productive employees.
For corporations, day camp has the potential to be a tangible, low-cost, pro-family benefit with a high, easily perceived value for which the corporation can take credit in the eyes of its employees.
This is a winning situation for the day camp, the corporation, employee-parents and their camp-age children.
Some American companies, own and operate their own child day care facility.
Most companies, however, do not want to acquire the expertise or desire to operate their own child care facility.
For them, partnering with day camp professionals is the best choice in providing on-site child care.
Parents who benefit from on-site child care can't say enough about it.
Jacqueline Regis, an employee at The St.
Paul wrote a note of thanks to the center's director saying "I am so very appreciative of the exceptional, professional and caring environment you create.
One worry I don't have during the day is whether my daughter is being taken care of.
I don't take this for granted.
" Today many businesses face difficult recruitment and retention issues, asking how to attract and keep the best and brightest.
For some, on-site child care is a valuable employee benefit as well as a sound business decision.
A 2004 Catalyst Study found companies with the highest representation of women in top management experienced better financial performance than companies with the lower women's representation.
This finding holds for both financial measures analyzed: return on equity, which is thirty-five percent higher, and total return to shareholders, which is thirty-four percent higher.
In each of the five industries analyzed, the companies with the highest women's representation experienced higher returns on equity.
And in four out of five industries, the companies with the highest women's representation experienced a higher total return to shareholders than the companies with the lowest women's representation.
This study merely points out that companies need to offer benefits which help recruit and retain the best talent available.