In an ongoing survey series, The Conference Board of Canada asked organizations across Canada if and how they’re accommodating employees with family responsibilities. Findings are now available here: Working Through COVID-19 – Family Responsibilities Survey.
In this survey, family responsibilities were defined as caring for children, elderly parents, disabled family members, sick family members, or other dependent family members of any age. It’s hard to predict how things will change in the coming weeks and months—and how it will affect employees’ efforts to manage the pressures of both family and work. Looking at long-term solutions, most organizations have started to adjust.
Some findings:
- 86% of organizations have employees who are trying to balance family responsibilities and work.
- Examples of accommodations employers are providing include flex time, reduced hours and compressed work weeks.
- For employees who remain employed but can’t work full hours due to family responsibilities, 50% of organizations surveyed continue to offer regular pay.
- Three out of four organizations are thinking ahead and are either developing or considering developing a long-term plan for employees struggling to balance work demands and family responsibilities.
