Are your staff struggling to work with kids at home? How HR can help
There are vast numbers of people currently having to work from home instead of their usual workplace, however, making the switch has proved easier for some than for others. It’s common for employers to focus on resolving practicalities such as having the right equipment, internet connectivity, access to conferencing platforms and maintaining security.
But what about those members of staff who are struggling to function, simply because of the distractions of having younger children also in the house when they’re trying to work? Take a look at the ideas below for ways in which HR can step up and help to alleviate this particular problem.
Engage directly with employees who have children and find out how they’re coping
The first step is to establish which members of your workforce actually have school-age children – which is easier said than done, as this is personal data that is unlikely to be held on your HR database. You may have some information from managers or colleagues that you know personally, but to establish the facts, consider contacting all staff and asking a series of questions to check on individual circumstances for home working.
Questions can be geared to find out about home working environments generally – but also to establish if children are present too, so that you can think about what support you can offer or allowances that can be made; your employees may also have some suggestions on this.
Demonstrate company understanding and support during a difficult time
HR has a key role to play in ensuring individual employees feel supported whilst everyone is having to adjust to new ways of working. Staff with younger families will have very specific challenges to deal with, in addition to the other practical elements facing those who don’t normally work from home. HR can proactively address this, showing that the company recognises that their home working environment may not be ideal.
It is difficult enough for young children to comprehend what is happening in the world and why they have to stay inside, let alone to understand the pressures of work - the need for quiet, the importance of not bothering mum or dad whilst they’re on the phone to a customer or client etc. And whilst they are at home, children would normally expect to have their parents’ attention, so behaving differently may not be understood or even possible.
Employees need to know they are not alone and that it is fine to need support in managing the needs of their family and their work during this difficult time. Simply acknowledging that your company recognises these constraints is the first step towards helping alleviate the stress being felt by your employees.
Offer workable solutions
As well as offering a listening ear, HR can also discuss practical solutions with each employee depending on their individual situation.
One example that may help all home working parents is the opportunity to adjust their working hours whilst they are having to work remotely. Obviously, this depends on the specific role too, but for some employees with younger children, it may work better to stagger hours through the day to fit with the childcare routine. Maybe opt for early mornings and evenings instead of the usual nine to five, or even reduce working hours whilst working from home (if they request this).
Another practical solution to reduce pressure is to formally agree with the employee and their line manager to change or reduce productivity targets in recognition of the fact that it may not even be possible to meet the usual standards whilst working at home.
Connect working parents with others in the business
There may be employees in your workforce who don’t necessarily know each other or work together, who are experiencing similar challenges in the current climate. HR could facilitate an online platform where homeworking parents within the business can connect with each other and share ideas and coping mechanisms that work for them. This fosters teamwork and prompts a sense of workplace community, even though staff are not physically able to come to work.
HR could even go the extra mile and collate a selection of resources and activities to keep kids usefully occupied whilst parents are working. Putting all of this together in one shared central place online is likely to be well received by parents already struggling to juggle family and work commitments whilst at home.
Ultimately, every business and every workforce is unique – which means that there may be all sorts of creative solutions and approaches that could work well for your organisation and your staff. The key is to engage in the discussion and show flexibility and understanding. That way your employees will continue to feel supported by the business and by their HR team.
For more ideas, information and learning resources to support HR and your wider organisation during these challenging times, visit the Access People Solutions COVID-19 Support Hub.
