Companies seeking to relieve employee stress over the summer are offering new perks, including discounted summer camps and childcare.
More men are becoming caregivers for their families
Men face a unique set of challenges when it comes to stepping into the role of caregivers.
Children may be excited about the end of the school year and the start of the summer, but many working parents who don’t know how to fill their children’s long summer days may now be scared.
AT&T is trying to change that. The nation’s largest third wireless carrier began its onsite summer camp at its Dallas, Texas headquarters in June, offering employees more convenient options for reliable childcare during school breaks.
Other perks, including mental health support, paid maternity/father leave and tuition rebates as benefits intended to provide workers last year, outperformed other perks, according to a Care.com survey. One in five employees said they left their job because their employer did not provide the benefits of care for their family. He said the lack of child care benefits lies above the list of reasons why they asked for another job.
“Summer camp was dealing with certain questions and pain points that employees had,” said Matt Phillips, AT&T assistant vice president.
But childcare isn’t the only caregiver people now ask, he said. He said people want to help care for all important people in life, or sometimes pets.
What’s the difference in summer?
“When planning holidays or summer activities, there may be days when people fall sporadically throughout the summer when they need to raise children,” Phillips said.
To facilitate worrying about what to do with the children of the time, AT&T employees can register children aged 4-12 years in a 10-week on-site camp that runs weekdays from 8am to 6pm. No weekly sessions or commitments are required.
If employees use the backup care perks, one child will cost $15 and one child at least $25 per day at camp.
AT&T Backup Care allows for up to 10 days of subsidized childcare if primary care options are not available and you cannot take leave. They can opt for centre care or home care for $15 per day. Bright Horizons operates childcare centers and early education services nationwide.
Additional summer camp dates are available for purchase at a discounted rate.
What are the other types of care?
Caregiving usually meant childcare, but the Covid-19 pandemic, aging population and rising costs have expanded the definition that includes siblings, parents, grandparents and even pets.
Even some of the youngest baby boomers members who are hoping to retire soon, via Gen Z and X, are demanding personalized benefits beyond retirement funds, pay and holidays.
Even fresh school graduates, job seekers now have a “overall outlook,” said 22-year-old Bray Riley. “We’re not just looking at our pay.”
Riley has no children, but she has a sibling with a six-year-old child.
Her job interests allow you to use what is called caregiver’s day. This is the payment time that can be used to care for a sick friend, relative or other loved one.
If there are these benefits, Riley said, “If there’s a class party, I can go in the morning and go back to work in the afternoon, and that doesn’t feel like it’s a burden on my team.” “Or if he’s off school and my parents are working, I can spend time with him.”
“My dad always had this inflexibility in his job when I was young and when my mother got sick he couldn’t take her to a doctor’s appointment,” she added. “Now, my job has that and it can exist for everyone.”
What is at risk?
- A 2023 survey by the Bipartisan Council for the Powerful America found that child care alone would cost the economy $122 billion. However, a survey by the Boston Consulting Group released last year shows that only 12% of U.S. workers are able to access childcare benefits through their employers, with only 6% of people working part-time or in the lowest income quartile.
- According to a 2016 family grooming older American studies, caregivers for families over 50 lost an average of $303,880 after leaving the workforce to care for their parents. Here’s the breakdown: wage losses of $115,900, social security benefits losses of $137,980, and pension benefits of $50,000 have become more modest. Still, according to SHRM’s 2024 Employee Benefits Survey, only 13% of companies offering ElderCare referral services offer ElderCare referral services and provide ElderCare employee subsidies.
- Lack of support leads to burnout for caregivers. Half of caregivers said caregivers increased their emotional stress levels, with 37% saying they had an impact on their physical emotions, according to a 2023 AARP survey.
What can companies do?
“The Life Insurance Management Research Association’s Research Director Brian Hoggens, or Limra’s Research Director Brian Hoggens, said:
The benefits of comprehensive caregiving, including flexible work arrangements, paid leave, financial support, education, consultation, resources and access to digital care platforms can improve workers’ health and boost business. BCG has found that childcare benefits alone provide a return of up to 425% of US businesses’ costs
Apart from nursing care, it also provides employees with self-care opportunities, which are essential. Healthy habits help to keep healthcare costs down for both employees and employers.
For example, AT&T offers a selection account for happiness to reward employees for healthy habits. Employees and their partners or spouses can each earn up to $750 to complete wellness activities, such as getting physical ones each year. You can then use that money to go to fitness classes, exercise bikes, student loan repayments, massages and facials, and healthy meal kits.
“It’s like free money because you’re paid to do what you need to do anyway,” said Ryan Stafford, an AT&T employee who used the reward to buy a bike better than he could have bought with his reward. “L didn’t feel a little more guilty,” he said.
Medora Lee is a money, market and personal finance reporter for USA Today. mjlee@usatoday.com and Subscribe to our free daily money newsletter Personal finance tips and business news every Monday to Friday.
