YES - Sarah Jackson, chief executive, Working Families
Childcare - and support for elder care - should be part of a family friendly package that employers offer their staff. Surveys of our parent members and helpline users suggest that flexible working is the key to ensuring their work-life balance. Our Family Friendly Employer of the Year Award is a good guide to best practice and our larger finalists offer on-site childcare facilities, emergency childcare and holiday play schemes, childcare vouchers and information.
NO - Stephen Burke, director, Daycare Trust
They shouldn't be forced to, but offering childcare support to employees makes sound business sense. Good employers know that flexible working and family friendly policies are cost-effective. They improve recruitment and retention as well as widening the pool of candidates available for recruitment. To help firms take advantage of these benefits the government is introducing new tax and National Insurance exemptions on childcare vouchers and employer-contracted childcare to support employers.
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