The Kem C. Garner Policy Institute issued a report of their statewide survey of Utah Parents’ preferences for work/life balance. As to be expected, parents want lots of choices when it comes to balancing work and family obligations, and no one solution fits all families’ needs. As Park City employers struggle to hire and retain their workforce, the survey helps identify what matters to parent employees. After a higher salary, for example, parents most value paid family leave (85%), flexibility in hours or schedule (85%), and stable or predictable hours (82%).
In fact, 50% of parents with children under age six reported that they would work more than they currently do if they had access to high-quality affordable child care and 38% would change their job, employer, or industry if they found an opportunity that offered greater assistance with child-care subsidies.
Park City employers would be wise to keep parental preferences in mind and work/life balance policies, including a variety of options for child care, clearly matters to working parents.
