Parents’ Day – Engage, Empower and Excel

Inclusion May 31, 2018

Parenthood makes one fathom the preciousness of life. The pitfalls and successes are part of a journey where love makes all the difficulties worthwhile. Organizations can ease the lives of working parents with their own personal touch. It can give them a competitive advantage.

A few proven approaches being practised in engaging working parents are:

  • Making vacations non-negotiable: Working parents can be encouraged to avail leave benefits in the workplace when they do not do so optimally. Stress and burnouts could lead to poor decision making in an organization.
  • Parental networks: Parents can lean on peers in times of anxiety and stress. Information and guidance on education, medical care, and family life can be exchanged. Mutual respect and trust among employees can be an enabler of success in an organization.
  • Personal touch: Organizations can smoothen transition phases of parents in an organization through flexible work, compressed schedules, fitness facilities, etc. which can make their lives easier. Research reveals that a hands on approach can engage a parent more successfully. Creating visibility of the existing parental benefits in your organization is the key.
  • Focus on outcomes: Engage parents in your organization by allowing them to structure their own work schedules. It can be an enabler of organizational success rather than a focus on routine processes.
  • Lead by example: Leaders can be role models in availing parent friendly benefits. It can send a strong message to all the employees in your organization that policies are truly meant to be implemented.
  • ‘Bring your Family to Work’ day: is celebrated in organizations as it strengthens familial spirit through the sharing of experiences.

With today’s’ generation of parents being equally involved in bringing up their children parental benefits should be provided to both men and women alike. Research reveals that working parents look for comfort and engagement in organizations over financial aspects which are secondary. Empowering parents will empower the generations of tomorrow. Let us excel by empowering parents through better engagement in our organizations.
Sandra Sebastian