Workplace Options’ National Survey

A national survey of working adults commissioned by Workplace Options (WPO), the largest provider of work-life employee benefits in America, found that 59% of employees or their spouses missed three to ten days of work in the last year due to the lack of adequate back-up child or elder care options.

Back-up care is needed when primary child care or elder care arrangements fall through due to illness, vacation or other unexpected circumstances. When these situations arise, they can be stressful and costly for employers and employees alike. Workplace Options conducted this survey to learn just how severe the issue is in corporate America today.

The national survey, conducted by the North Carolina firm of Public Policy Polling on March 12-13 of this year, polled working adults with dependents about their back-up care needs and opinions. Fifty-seven percent of respondents were women and 43% men. Household incomes ranged from less than $30,000 per year to more than $100,000.

Back-Up Care ñ A Necessity in Corporate America

When asked how valuable back-up care would be, 93% of respondents said clearly valuable or extremely valuable. The demand for back-up care was equal amongst men and women, with 90% of both women and men stating they were nearly certain or extremely certain they would use back-up care if it were available at their company. Demand for back-up care services was also strong across all income brackets. Eighty-six percent of households earning less than $30,000 and 75% earning more than $100,000 a year said back-up care is extremely valuable.

With increasing numbers of working parents also having to care for elderly relatives, the need for back-up care services is rising, said Alan King, president of Workplace Options. For a reasonable investment, companies that invest in back-up care support services realize huge savings as a result of reduced absenteeism and higher employee productivity and retention.

Previous research has shown that most employees need to work shortened workdays because their child care or elder care arrangements fall through -- reducing their productivity and costing employers billions of dollars per year.

More than 1 in 2 Employees Miss Work Due to Care Breakdowns

When respondents were asked if they, or their partner, missed any work in the last year because they did not have back-up care, 59% responded yes with 56% missing 3-10 days of work. Additionally, 59% of respondents called in on short notice to use vacation time or sick leave because they did not have back-up care.

When asked how comfortable they would be about using a back-up care program, 85% said they would be comfortable using such programs, with little difference between men and women.

Many organizations are recognizing the value of workplace benefits that provide back-up care support. In 2006, Workplace Options partnered with Bright Horizons Family Solutions, the world’s leading provider of employer-sponsored care and education programs, to offer the Bright Horizons Back-Up Care Advantage Program. This program offers employees a nationwide comprehensive center-based and in-home provider network for back-up child and elder care. The Bright Horizons Back-Up Care Advantage Program now serves more than 75 leading employers including Fortune 500 companies, hospitals, law firms, and universities. For more information on the program, go to: