With worker shortages not going away any time soon, organizations need to find ways to attract and keep great employees. One promising idea is to focus on the needs of single working parents.
The U.S. has one of the highest rates of children living with a single parent. These moms and dads have been under tremendous stress during the pandemic, and some were forced to leave the workforce altogether. To bring them back and attract and retain others, consider these simple strategies:
- Make a concerted effort to hire and promote single parents. Recognize that all workers have responsibilities outside of work and need a work-life balance. Make it clear that specific responsibilities need to be met but (when possible) give workers some flexibility and when and how.
- Reward people for the quality of their work, not the hours they put in. Don’t punish working parents because they can’t always work evenings or on weekends.
- Make company culture inclusive. Don’t assume that everyone has (or wants) a partner. Consider providing compensation or incentives when working parents are expected to attend work events outside business hours.
- Structure and organize work creatively. Give workers as much advance notice about projects, deadlines, and events or activities they’re expected to complete or participate in.
- Create opportunities to set boundaries, take breaks, and rest. No one, including working parents, should be expected to be available 24/7 to answer emails, take calls, or fill in for others at the last minute. Make sure everyone get breaks, time to rest, and opportunities to have fun and enjoy family and friends.
- Provide help with child care. This not only will attract working parents, but it also give them freedom to focus on their jobs and enjoy an appropriate work-life balance.
