Wish You Were Here: Bright Horizons offers help to employers affected by H1N1 and during other public health emergencies

Although H1N1 pandemic panic seems to be waning somewhat, the recent international outbreak is an important reminder to individuals and employers to stay vigilant and prepared for disasters, including a global pandemic.

To give companies a hand, Bright Horizons Family Solutions, provider of employer-sponsored child care and back-up care, has announced a new emergency child care solution to help employers and working families manage during times of public health emergencies, like those related to H1N1 (swine flu), when schools are closed and regular child care is not available due to possible health risks.

“We are offering this new program to provide employers with immediate access to a wide range of back-up solutions that solve their business challenges and support the best practices in preventive health measures,” says Bright Horizons CEO Dave Lissy. “In keeping with our core mission, this service provides children with excellent care, gives parents the peace-of-mind they need to be present and productive at work, and offers employers creative answers to real time business needs.”

Back-Up Care Advantage: Crisis Care Assist provides employees of Bright Horizons clients with access to a nationwide network of in-home child care providers and payment for care they arrange within their family or existing social network. Through the program, care is also available any time of day or night and for any duration necessary, which can be especially beneficial to hospital workers, for instance, who may have to work overnight shifts or extended hours due to high demands in the face of a national health emergency.

The service can be implemented within 48 hours for even large multi-site employers.

Tip of the Day

To improve productivity and reduce absenteeism, tell your employees you have their back, so to speak. A survey of HR leaders by Work Options Group reveals that 93% of your peers believe backup care helps employees balance work and family responsibilities, 81% say backup care reduces absenteeism; more than 7 in 10 employees surveyed said without backup care they are forced to miss work, 53% of HR leaders believe providing backup care boosts employee productivity; 78% of employees said backup care enhances their productivity.

Among other pluses, most HR pros say backup care reduces employee stress, improves retention and helps position their organization as an employer of choice.