The Benefits of Parenting Coaching Sessions For Reducing Employee Absenteeism In The Workplace

In today’s fast-paced world, parents can find maintaining a healthy work-life balance especially challenging. Juggling professional responsibilities with parenting duties can lead to stress and burnout, which can negatively impact both employees and employers. Most recently, the latest figures around child absenteeism in schools is causing huge debate and calls for reform in the education system. What maybe hasn’t been discussed as much is the impact that child absenteeism can have on employee attendance, and how this is understandably a growing cause of concern in most HR departments in the UK right now. In this article we will explore the struggle of working parents, and look at the potential benefits that parenting coaching sessions could have for reducing employee absenteeism in the workplace.

The Struggles of Working Parents

Working parents in the UK face a myriad of challenges that can significantly impact their ability to balance their professional and family lives. When you think of single parents too, these challenges are further exacerbated, as single parents often have to shoulder the responsibilities of parenting entirely on their own. These challenges can lead to overwhelm, stress, mental and physical illness – which can lead to absenteeism from work. Some of those challenges include:

1. Childcare Costs: One of the most significant challenges for working parents is the high cost of childcare. In the UK, childcare expenses can be very high – particularly in large town or city locations, consuming a substantial portion of a family’s income. This financial burden can be especially daunting for single parents with limited resources. If a child is absent from school there is a significant challenge faced by the parent to afford unplanned childcare which could mean them needing to take time off.

2. School Absences: A significant concern for all parents – school absences can be particularly disruptive for working parents. When a child falls ill or faces other issues at school, parents often need to take time off work to care for them. Single parents, in particular, may struggle to find the necessary support systems in such situations.

3. Inflexible Work Arrangements: Many working parents seek flexible work arrangements to better accommodate their family responsibilities. However, not all employers offer such flexibility, and for single parents who may not have someone to share the parenting load, this can be especially problematic.

4. Emotional Load: Balancing work and parenting can take an emotional toll on single parents. They may experience feelings of guilt, stress, and exhaustion as they try to fulfil their roles both at work and at home. This emotional strain can impact their overall well-being.

5. Balancing Work: Parents are no less ambitious than their childless counterparts, however the ability to commit extra time, or pursue opportunities for growth and expansion may be limited due to having to balance family commitments at the same time. This is exacerbated for single parents, who have limited support networks that could help facilitate career progression activities such as secondments or development courses.

In the context of employee absence caused by child absence at school, these challenges are particularly relevant. Employers need to recognise and address these issues to support their working parents, both single and partnered, and help them maintain a healthy work-life balance. However by only offering the standard approaches such as flexible work arrangements, employers could be missing out on an opportunity to provide enhancing activities that could benefit the parents (and their relationship with their child) through parenting mentor services.

What is Parenting Coaching?

Parenting coaching, also known as parental coaching or parent coaching, is a form of professional support and guidance provided by practitioners like myself, to parents to help them navigate the challenges and responsibilities of raising children. It aims to enhance parenting skills, improve communication within the family, and address specific issues or concerns parents may have about their children’s behaviour, development, or well-being.

For employers looking to support employees who have children, parenting coaching can take several forms:

Workshops and Seminars: Employers can arrange parenting workshops or seminars where experienced coaches or experts provide guidance on various parenting topics. These sessions can cover subjects such as managing work-life balance, effective communication with children, and strategies for dealing with common parenting challenges. Lunch and learn sessions are a popular form of parenting coaching that allows a flexible approach for employees.
One-on-One Coaching: Offering employees the opportunity to have one-on-one coaching sessions with a qualified parenting coach can be a powerful employee engagement strategy. These sessions can be tailored to the individual needs and concerns of each parent, providing personalised advice and support.
Online Resources: Employers can provide access to online parenting resources, such as articles, videos, and webinars, which employees can access at their convenience. These resources can cover a wide range of parenting topics and offer valuable guidance.
Parenting Support Groups: Creating a supportive community for parents within the workplace can be really beneficial. Employers can facilitate the formation of parenting support groups where employees can share their experiences, seek advice, and receive emotional support from their colleagues.
EAP (Employee Assistance Program): Including parenting coaching as part of an EAP can provide a confidential and accessible resource for employees who need parenting support. It ensures that help is available when needed.

The Role of Parenting Coaching In Improving Employee Satisfaction and Reducing Absenteeism

Parenting coaching sessions provide invaluable support to working parents – with sustainable results that can be felt and measured long beyond the intervention period:

1. Improved Work-Life Balance – Parenting coaching equips parents with tools and strategies to manage their time effectively, allowing them to better balance their work and family responsibilities.

2. Stress Reduction: These strategies can help parents cope with stress and develop resilience, leading to a happier and more productive workforce.

3. Enhanced Productivity: Employees who receive parenting coaching are often more focused and productive, as they can better manage their priorities and tasks.

4. Reduced Absenteeism: By addressing parenting-related stress and challenges, coaching can help reduce absenteeism and increase employee attendance and punctuality.

5. Employee Retention: Employers who invest in their employees’ well-being through coaching demonstrate commitment, leading to higher employee loyalty and retention rates.

6. Positive Workplace Culture: Providing parenting coaching sends a message that the company values its employees’ personal lives, creating a positive and supportive workplace culture.

7. Skill Development: Coaching sessions can help parents improve their communication, problem-solving, and time-management skills, which are valuable in both personal and professional life.

8. Parental Confidence: Parents who participate in coaching often report increased confidence in their parenting abilities, reducing anxiety and stress related to family matters.

How to Implement Parenting Coaching Sessions Into Your Organisation:

To make parenting coaching a part of your company’s wellness program, consider the following steps:

Partner with Professionals: Collaborate with qualified parenting coaches or organisations that offer services. Be sure to select your partner carefully – you want someone that aligns with the values of your business and the culture of your employees.
Flexible Scheduling: Offer coaching sessions during work hours or provide flexibility for parents to attend without affecting their job performance.
Discretion: Ensure that coaching sessions are discreet to create a safe space for parents to open up about their challenges.
Employee Education: How you promote the services has a huge impact on how they will be received by your colleagues. Actively promoting the initiatives and their benefits will encourage participation, and embracing the learnings and techniques that are shared.
Feedback and Evaluation: Continuously assessing the impact of the sessions through feedback and evaluation will allow you to make any necessary improvements.