National Network for Child Care's Connections Newsletter
Assessment Instrument title: Employer Assistance Child Care
Surveys
Target Audience: Employer
Comments about the tool:
Contact who has experience using this assessment instrument:
Karen DeBord
North Carolina State University
(919)515-9147
(919)515-2786 (FAX)
The diverse needs of employees cannot be met with just one child
care option, but rather an array of options should be considered.
When compiling a survey for needs of employees at the worksite,
determine what types of child care assistance are used currently
and what types of assistance the employer could offer. Assure
that the questions which are asked are genuinely pertinent to
the issue and not just "nice to know." Depending on
the objective of the questionnaire, determine if the target survey
audience will be employees, management, business leaders or others.
This will affect how questions are posed. Then have a sample of
that group read through the questionnaire for clarity and to give
suggestions before actually printing and delivering the survey.
The following questions might assist the task force in deciding
what to include on an employee questionnaire.
For Employers
Employee demographics
-Total number of employees working at the worksite
-Percentage of full-time , part-time, temporary employees
-How many worksites are a part of the business
-Number of employees by sex
-Age range of employees - number in each range
-What is the main activity of the business or organization
-What percentage of employees work on weekdays, Saturdays, Sundays
-What percentage of employees work set hours, flexible hours, rotating/split shifts
-The approximate hours of operation (8am-5pm, 4pm-midnight, midnight-8am)
-What percentage of the workforce is replaced each year (turnover)
Child Care Issues
-Does the organization currently provide child care assistance for employees
-What benefit services are offered through the organization of under consideration such as:
-on-site child care
-sponsorship of slots in child care facilities
-child care referral service
-vouchers for child care payment
-flexible spending accounts (use of pre-tax dollars for child care)
-family or personal leave
-job sharing
-parenting seminars
-option to work at home
-To what extent child care arrangements affect parent's work (no effect, minor, moderate, major or don't know options)
-ability to attract employees
-ability to retain employees
-employee productivity
-morale and job satisfaction
-absenteeism
-tardiness
-work scheduling
-To what extent do child related problems affect employee absenteeism (same options as above)
-sick child
-child-related appointments (doctor, school )
-snow days
-child care giver sick
-school holidays, breaks
-Does the organization feel pressure to provide more child care benefits
Operations - note that if the respondent does not feel capable of making these decisions, ask them to take responsibility that this section is completed by the appropriate person
-What is the organization's probable level of interest in participating in child care activities (no interest, minor, moderate interest or definite interest)
-promote/publicize child care alternatives and options
-provide financial supplements to employees for child care
-purchase slots for employees
-participate in a shared child care center site (with other employers)
-investigate on-site child care center
-provide staffing for child care hotline
-conducting a survey of employees of child care needs
-flexible hours/scheduling
-unsure, but interested
-If not interested, ask why - cost factors, insufficient demand, philosophical reasons, other
For employees
-Do you have children
-Number, ages
-Annual family income
-Do you use child care
-Present child care arrangements
-How much per week is paid for child care
-Level of satisfaction with the present child care arrangement
-How many times have you changed care givers within the past two years
-Would you prefer child care closer to home, work
-Number of times work missed due to child care situations
-Other
FORMAT AVAILABLE:: Internet
DOCUMENT REVIEW:: Level 3 - National Peer Review
DOCUMENT SIZE:: 30K or 4 pages
ENTRY DATE:: April 1998
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