One in three workers has a child or children under the age of 18. Still, working parents are sometimes overlooked in the recruitment process. In 2021, 65% of candidates inquired about the accommodations and flexibility for working parents at a potential job. Intentionally recruiting and supporting working parents can make a huge difference when it comes to bolstering your healthcare staff.
When it comes to supporting working parents, it’s important to understand the challenges they face. The demanding schedule and workload in healthcare, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, can make finding childcare especially stressful. While women are disproportionately affected by a lack of childcare, working fathers and other parents need support too.
Having and caring for a child is hard, even at the best of times. It’s in an employer’s best interest to acknowledge this difficulty and provide support. Don’t miss out on incredible talent because of a lack of supporting infrastructure for parents.
How to Recruit Working Parents in Healthcare
Recruiting and supporting working parents doesn’t have to be difficult. The easiest way to recruit working parents in healthcare is to write a welcoming job ad. Mentioning any childcare-related perks that you have can be a great way to attract parents. Even simply stating that you’re open to hiring working parents makes candidates feel supported from that very first touchpoint.
Make sure all your applicants are aware of any family benefits, not just those you know to be parents. Some people choose not to share their family details with employers, while others may be planning to be parents in the future.
It can also be helpful to remember that working parents often have busy schedules. Offering a variety of shift lengths, or “short shifts,” can attract people who need greater flexibility during the day. During the application process, meet parents wherever they are with job ads optimized for mobile.
A Quick Guide to Supporting Working Parents
Provide Childcare
Providing childcare can be the most concrete manner of supporting working parents. There are many ways to go about this. The simplest is to provide childcare subsidies, which assists families in paying for childcare through whatever method they choose. You can also provide on-site childcare, which means creating a childcare facility at the place of work. Finally, some employers choose drop-in childcare. This is a more provisional on-site childcare arrangement, there in case of emergency.
Be Flexible in Case of Emergency
Flexibility and understanding are invaluable when it comes to supporting working parents. Parenthood isn’t predictable, and emergencies happen. When possible, enable work from home or hybrid work situations. This isn’t always possible in the healthcare industry, but is still something to keep in mind for positions that don’t have to be in person.
Though not a replacement for childcare, creating employee support groups can help parents feel less isolated. Through these groups, they may also find people who they can ask for support. Ultimately, fostering open communication from the first point of contact is deeply important. The best way to support working parents is to be the kind of employer who your employees are comfortable being honest with.
Consider Family-Friendly Benefits
Flexible benefits can make an enormous difference for families. This way, working parents can choose what is best for them. Flexible benefits can decrease turnover and reduce burnout. In addition, having a generous PTO policy can help both you and your employees plan for the unexpected. Finally, having options for dependents in your health insurance offerings can make a world of difference when supporting working parents and their children.
Better Hiring With Apploi
Apploi can help you optimize your job ads for all candidates, including those with children. Interested in learning more about how you can recruit, hire, and onboard healthcare staff quickly? Contact us today for a free demo of our end-to-end talent management solution.
