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CCH® BENEFITS — 10/14/10

Improved Dependent Care Resources Aid Employee Health And Productivity

from Spencer’s Benefits Reports: Employers who wish to improve employee health and productivity to keep their health benefits costs in check would do well to provide their workers with dependent care resources, according to a new report from Bright Horizons Family Solutions. Dependent care resources, or “supports” as the study refers to them, include employer-provided child care, back-up care at the worksite, and elder care programs.

In a survey of more than 4,000 workers with children under the age of 18, nearly half of whom had access to employer-provided dependent care supports, workers using those resources, compared with workers whose employers did not offer them, reported:

“These findings underscore that the provision of dependent care supports is a critical factor in employee well-being, engagement, and business outcomes,” Bright Horizons stated. “In sum, employers who provide dependent care resources are making a positive impact on both the health and well-being of their employees—male and female—as well as on the health of the organization itself.

“Organizations that offer these programs, along with a culture that supports their use, will make a positive impact in terms of employee health and wellness, a key strategic imperative for most employers [as reflected in a recent Hewitt study showing that keeping employees healthy is a top workforce issue for 82% of employers],” Bright Horizons concluded. “These results point to potentially substantial reductions in health care costs and lost revenue for organizations that promote a culture of work/life understanding and flexibility. These organizations also benefit from reduced absenteeism, stronger retention—which will be increasingly important as the labor market loosens up—and a workforce that is more engaged in and committed to the success of their organization. In short, employer-sponsored dependent care resources enhance both individual employee health and the health of the organizations that offer them.”

For more information on the report, Enhanced Employee Health, Well-Being, and Engagement through Dependent Care Supports, visit http://www.brighthorizons.com/.

For more information on this and related topics, consult the CCH Pension Plan Guide, CCH Employee Benefits Management, and Spencer's Benefits Reports.

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