Challenge and opportunity. This makes starting school a win-win situation - for employees and the company.
A meeting at eight o'clock in the morning? It's exactly at this time that the last shoe laces are tied in many households, snack boxes are packed in the backpack and a few exams are quickly signed. In the best case scenario, there's a kiss and the kids are gone. But sometimes, especially with small children, nothing is working in the morning. The jacket is far too hot, the favourite cuddly toy is nowhere to be found and walking to school all alone? No way! Mummy or Daddy have to go with them.
When school starts, fixed timetables determine a family's everyday life. There are lessons until twelve o'clock, then lunch break and afternoon school. Sometimes the kids have time off. But employees don't. So you have to ask yourself: Should my child be looked after privately, can it go to after-school care or to a childminder? What about off-peak times or during the thirteen-week of holidays?
"It's important for parents to address the issue early enough," says Monica Ottiker, a counsellor at profawo. "If you only start thinking about childcare a few days before school starts, it's clearly too late." The same also applies to employers. "If you know which employees have children starting school and address the situation, you're already doing a lot of things right." You show interest and can organise the entire working day better. "This doesn't require any major reorganisation. A few simple adjustments and offers are usually enough."