The American workforce has evolved rapidly over the last five years. Today, nearly three out of four children under five have all parents in the workforce, and a staggering 73% of the overall workforce are caregivers. This significant shift presents both a challenge and a monumental opportunity for businesses to lead with traditional and innovative policies that not only support their working parents but also positively impact their bottom line.
HR leaders have a clear understanding that supporting the caregiving needs of their workforce ultimately supports their workforce’s reliability, loyalty, and productivity. Data-backed decision-making is a critical tool for aligning key decision makers’ support for family-friendly policies of impact.
Using current research that shows how companies with family-friendly benefits better attract, motivate, and retain this growing contingent of workforce talent can be foundational to choosing which suite of policies has clear ROI. Additionally, companies using data to understand employees’ needs and challenges are well-positioned to offer customized benefits of impact, which in turn helps them grow their business. To support working parents, foster a productive and engaged workforce, and attract and retain top talent, we recommend the following steps toward engaging data and talent analytics when reviewing benefit packages.
1. Survey Employees
Using a brief, confidential employee survey, employers can gain valuable insights from employees about which types of family-friendly policies would best support their needs. From there, employers can identify how employee benefits impact work performance, understand where they are on the caregiving continuum, and build a customized strategy. Companies that utilize data-driven insights to tailor benefits can expect reduced employee attrition and absenteeism. Supportive workplace policies help address caregiving-related work disruptions and challenges, boosting retention and productivity.
Every business has a unique set of employees with their own distinct needs. As employees progress along their parenting journey, needs can change, too. Regular surveys and conversations with employees about what is working and what isn’t allow employers to make real-time changes to policies and benefits. This helps maximize their limited resources to support working parents efficiently and focus on policies that provide a measurable difference in company ROI.
2. Communicate your Benefits
Equally critical is educating employees about the benefits available to them. Many employers provide policies that their employees may not even realize exist. It’s essential to consistently check in with employees about workplace policies, whether through continued surveys, calls, emails, or informal feedback. This ongoing dialogue helps ensure employees fully use available resources and provides employers with meaningful insights into program effectiveness.
When introducing new policies, it’s also important for company leaders to use and promote these benefits themselves. By doing so, they set an example that it’s encouraged and an important part of company culture. This behavior sets a positive precedent that the rest of the team is likely to follow.
Final Thoughts
The future of workforce success lies in creating a family-friendly culture rooted in adaptability and continuous improvement. Surveys and tools provide actionable insights that can help businesses implement tailored solutions that drive employee engagement, retention, and productivity.
As companies reevaluate benefits for 2026, we encourage them to lean into data-driven analytics to make informed decisions. Data isn’t just a tool, it’s the key to unlocking a thriving, supported workforce. Companies that leverage analytics to understand and respond to employee needs will lead the way in creating work environments where both employees and businesses thrive.
