By Jane Hurst
There is a lot of female talent out there, and if you know which benefits to offer, you can hire that talent to work for your company. Finding female talent is easy, but making your company attractive enough for them to want to work at is another ballgame altogether. For instance, many women are also mothers who are trying to balance their home life and their careers. When you are able to offer them benefits that help them succeed in their careers and enjoy a healthy home life, you are going to find more and more women who want to work for you.
If you're hoping to recruit more working moms, consider offering these eight benefits.
Image source: Getty Images.
Flexible schedules
Every mom is different, and has different needs when it comes to the hours she works, being able to work from home, etc. For instance, a mother with small children will more likely need a flexible schedule to deal with illnesses and other issues than a mother with teenagers in high school. Employers that allow their employees to work from other locations, take time off, rearrange their schedules, etc., are very attractive to working moms, not only because they often need this flexibility, but because it shows that the employer is understanding and willing to work with their needs.
Unlimited paid time off
More and more employers are offering unlimited paid time off to allow working moms to be at school recitals, meetings with teachers, home with sick kids, etc. With this benefit, moms don't have to miss any of the important things in their children's lives, and they also don't have to miss out on earning a salary. Many employers merge all paid time off into one PTO bucket, which lets employees choose how they use their time off. This way, they don't have to worry about taking a professional day as a personal day, and vice versa.
Family care benefits
One of the biggest concerns that parents have today is child care, and this can hold many talented women back from reentering the workforce after having children. Finding a quality day care that is affordable is not an easy task, but it is a lot easier when companies offer solutions for child care for working moms. For instance, some companies offer services that can find child care on a moment's notice. This is great when a babysitter calls at the last minute to say that they can't make it, and the mom has to find an alternative other than missing a day from work to stay home with her child.
On-site day care
An even better option is to offer on-site child care for your employees. They always know that there will be someone available to care for their children, so they don't have to worry about finding something that they can afford, or whether or not their sitter will always be available. Another benefit of having on-site day care is that parents don't have to worry about any additional driving time. It also gives them a chance to visit with their kids during breaks, lunch hours, etc.
A breastfeeding area
"As more and more mothers are breastfeeding, there is a greater need to provide areas for women to feed their babies. This can be a challenge for mothers who have to work, because they won't have that bonding time with their babies, and they may not even be able to pump milk if it is needed. Some companies are offering a breastfeeding/pumping area for female employees so they have a comfortable, quiet place to pump. Some even offer other amenities, including private refrigerators that are designated for breast milk only," says Dr. Akatakpo Dunn of Medplux. This shows that you respect and support working mothers, and it will make your company even more attractive to them.
Paid maternity leave
All companies must offer unpaid maternity leave to their employees, but only a small percentage of employers offer paid maternity leave. The law requires that companies give 12 weeks of unpaid leave for mothers or fathers, depending on the size of the company and how long they have been employed. Unfortunately, not all parents take advantage of this time with their children, because they simply cannot afford to. This is an important time for parents and children to bond, so if you are able to offer paid maternity leave, it will be very attractive to women with children.
Concierge services
Most of us tend to do a lot of personal things during business hours. Most employers expect this, and some actually make it easier for their employees to take care of personal business. You may want to consider offering concierge services that will help make the lives of your employees easier, and attract mothers. For instance, you can offer things like after-school babysitters, dog walkers, errand-runners, housekeepers, etc. Anything that is going to help make everyday life easier for your employees will make your company one that mothers will want to work for.
Other on-site amenities
There are many other things that you can do to make your company more attractive to new talent, including offering a variety of amenities besides child care and concierge services. For instance, many companies have fitness rooms, yoga centers, etc., so their employees don't have to make a special trip to the gym. This is where you can get really creative and offer things that other employers don't, such as on-site manicures and pedicures, a hair salon, or even a nap room. The more perks you offer that make people's lives easier, the easier it is going to be for you to find the best talent.
This article originally appeared on Glassdoor.com.
