No matter what kind of job you have, if you’re a working parent, it can sometimes feel like there are not enough hours in the day to get it all done. Many parents struggle to create a healthy balance between workload and being the kind of parent they want. Certain remote jobs can go a long way toward helping parents get things done and achieve some work-life balance.
Here are a few of the benefits of working remotely for parents.
- Remote jobs with flexible schedules can often help working parents manage their work and parenting duties.
- It allows parents to be physically present and maintain a nurturing environment.
- It helps conserve energy and resources.
- Mostly for employers, it allows them to hire the best, brightest resources hassle-free.
Let’s take a more in-depth look at the impact of remote work flexibility for working parents.
Allowing working parents to be more involved
Remote work creates inclusive workplaces that care for their employees through flexibility, empathetic leadership, and breaking down caregiver bias. For example, schools are generally only open for ten months out of the year. Beyond the summer months, many schools are off for two months or more, while the average employee only has two weeks of paid time off. These days don’t include conferences, performances, and field trips (that require parent supervision), which often happen in the middle of the school day.
Remote jobs allow parents to care for their kids in the morning and afternoon without paying for additional childcare. Remote working parents put in the same amount of time and energy as their colleagues. They work around family and children’s schedules to complete tasks.
Remote jobs help marginalized women get stable jobs.
Let’s look at the example of military couples. Women are mostly the primary caregiver and trailing the spouse, which often results in most women giving up their careers and taking one for the team. With remote jobs, the case is different. Women can continue working from home remain focused on their careers and tasks while fulfilling other responsibilities.
It works well for single parents who usually avoid opportunities due to long commutes and remain in stagnant roles which offer child care. UN Conference on Trade and Development analysis shows that early measures to curb the spread of the virus first hit jobs held predominantly by women, such as personal services.
During the pandemic, a higher prevalence of the virus correlated with a higher female unemployment rate. Overall, organizations can help eliminate the gender gap and contribute to the diverse workspace by allowing flexible working hours and working remotely.
Remote work promotes a more cost-efficient lifestyle
Another benefit of remote jobs for parents is the saving on time and energy of the commute. Not thinking about maintenance and car insurance expenses. They can be present for early morning breakfast and bedtimes to skip the long commutes to reach the office. It allows for better personal relations at home, which increases employee satisfaction.
Working parents with older children can prioritize and make a calendar visible for all. This sets healthy boundaries for parents to work and allocates family time, so children do not feel left out. Research suggests families who have frequent meals together often see the benefits of enhanced vocabulary, academic success, healthy food selections, demonstration of positive values, and avoidance of high-risk behaviors with their children and youngsters.
Remote work reduces your carbon footprint
Remote jobs enable us to move closer to United Nations’ active stance to curb climate change and eliminate pollution. The commute that remote workers skip also means that they are contributing less to the greenhouse gas emissions. A UN Environment Program report “Fossil CO2 emissions – coal, oil, gas, and cement – peaked at 36.64 GtCO2 in 2019, followed by an extraordinary drop of 1.98 GtCO2 (5.6%) in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic”.
Remote work allows parents to upskill
Parents that work remotely can take advantage of flexible learning opportunities; it’s easier than ever to continue sharpening and learning new skills using online courses. Workers can benefit from enrolling in online courses via various platforms.
How to make your remote work lifestyle easier?
Some steps one can take to ensure remote work is smooth for all, parents and employers.
First, plan proactively.
Second, keep your manager or reporting authority in the loop. Communicate any change in deadline and meetings to all team members. Be realistic about what can be achieved and keep the bosses informed.
Some fear that remote working could hinder women’s careers since bosses might equate face time with actual work or dampen women’s likelihood of promotion as working from a distance might make them less involved. To avoid such outcomes, managers and employers must evaluate productivity and results, not time spent on the job; hence it’s crucial to execute policies and allocate responsibility wisely.
Managers should ensure staff has set up their tech tools, defined their processes, and permanently logged into their meeting/telecommuting accounts. While remote work may not be possible for all professionals, parents or not, as many front-line workers are in jobs requiring them to leave their homes, remote work should be accessible to all.
While many challenges persist, remote working allows companies to expand operations, scale the team globally and broaden the virtually limitless possibilities of outbound recruiting. Remote jobs allow workers to find productivity and freedom in their everyday life. By working smartly and strategically, one
can use remote work as a tool to build a career and achieve aspiration. There is a mixed report on working from home for parents, and much success will depend on how each individual adapts. Parents working remotely can surely prosper with structured plans that balance work and family.
Synerge Meta is a community of freelancers and professionals that keeps you updated on the latest tips and news to help freelancers grow and prosper. We welcome experts from all backgrounds to be part of our thriving space and offer their input. If you’re a working parent, tell us your experience of working remotely and how you’ve made it work for you!
