Reference no: EM132590132
Discussion Forum: Children and Working from Home
Post contribution 1: Select a specific employer and discuss whether employees of the employer you selected should be allowed to supervisor children if working from home. Select only employers that allow work from home, i.e. we all know that a trauma surgeon cannot work from home and supervise children :) Try not to repeat an employer that has already been selected. I would suggest that you include your own employer if working from home is an option. The crux of this discussion is the rationale behind allowing employees working from home to supervise children or not. What parameters, if any, should be put into place to deal with this situation?
Post contribution 2: For employers, childcare for employees working from home is an issue. Employers may not benefit from a situation where employees are forced to take PTO or leave without pay. However, the decisions that are made now may impact long-term employee expectations. Many employers are reaching for the most flexible options available with the hope that employees will return the flexibility and concern when the current employment situation finally improved.
For an illustration of the challenges of addressing work from home and childcare, look at Florida State University. The institution sent a memo to employees in June stating that employees could not care for their children while working from home. The backlash was significant and immediate. Within a few days, the university changed the policy to allow employees to care for children while working from home.
Employers are challenged by this situation. The large number of closed late summer camps and online schools for Fall 2020 indicate that this issue will not be quickly resolved.
Be creative. (You do not have to address the needs of a specific employer as in Post 1.) How can employers help to address the childcare questions for/with employees? Essentially, how can employers creatively and proactively help address the childcare void?
Has to be in your own words.