Abstract
Changing demographics in the family and in the labor force necessitate creative solutions to the child care coordination problems that face employed parents with young children. The present study explores the appeal to 321 employed parents of various corporate-supported benefits and policies that enable parents to coordinate employment and child care. Major findings from the survey were that fathers as well as single and married mothers find corporate assistance with family matters to be desirable. Employer-supported child care benefits and work schedule policies could motivate a sizable number of employed parents to change jobs in order to receive such assistance. Parents' satisfaction with corporate benefits and policies are related to their job satisfaction, organizational commitment, experience of role strain, and frequency of health symptoms.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bohen, H., & Viveros-Long, A. (1981). Balancing jobs and family life. In P. Voydanoff (Ed.),Work and family: Changing roles of men and women (pp. 320–329). Palo Alto, CA: Mayfield Publishing Company.
Bonfield, P. (1986). Working solutions for working parents.Management World, 15, 8–10.
Cohen, S., & Hoberman, H. M. (1983). Positive events and social supports as buffers of life change stress.Journal of Applied Social Behavior, 13, 99–125.
Fernandez, J. (1986).Child care and corporate productivity. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.
Friedman, D. (1987a).Family-supportive policies: The corporate decision-making process. New York: The Conference Board, Inc.
Friedman, D. (1987b). Work vs. family: War of the worlds.Personnel Administrator, 32, 36–38.
General Mills American Family Report. (1980–81).Families: Strengths and strains at work. Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Goldberg, W. A., & Easterbrooks, M. A. (1988). Maternal employment when children are toddlers and kindergartners. In A. E. Gottfried & A. W. Gottfried (Eds.).Maternal employment and children's development: Longitudinal research (pp. 121–154). NY: Plenum.
Greenberger, E., & Goldberg, W. A. (1989). Work, parenting, and the socialization of children.Developmental Psychology, 25, 22–35.
Greenberger, E. (1988). New measures for research on work, parenting, and the socialization of children. Irvine, CA: Program in Social Ecology, University of California.
Hayghe, H. (1983). Married couples: Work and income patterns.Monthly Labor Review, 106, 26–29.
Hayghe, H. (1985). Rise in mothers' labor force activity includes those with infants.Monthly Labor Review, 109, 43–45.
Horvath, F. (1986). Work at home: New findings from the Current Population Survey.Monthly Labor Review, 109 (11), 31–35.
Kagan, S. L., Klugman, E., & Zigler, E. F. (1983). Shaping child and family policies: Criteria and strategies for a new decade. In E. F. Zigler, S. L. Kagan, & E. Klugman (Eds.),Children, families, and government (pp. 415–440). NY: Cambridge University Press.
Kamerman, S. (1985). Child care services: An issue for gender equity and women's solidarity.Child Welfare, 64, 259–271.
Kamerman, S. B., & Kahn, A. J. (1987).The responsive workplace: Employers and a changing labor force. New York: Columbia University Press.
Kamerman, S. B., & Kingston, P. W. (1982). Employer responses to the family responsibilities of employees. In S. B. Kamerman & C. D. Hayes (Eds.),Families that work: Children in a changing world (pp. 144–208), Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.
Kanter, R. M. (1977).Men and women of the corporation. NY: Basic Books.
LaMarre, S. E., & Thompson, K. (1984). Industry-sponsored day care.Personnel Administrator, 29, 53–65.
LoBosco, M. (1986). Child-care initiatives.Child Care, 29, 63–66.
Mellor, E. (1986). Shift work and flexitime: How prevalent are they?Monthly Labor Review, 109 (11), 14–21.
Mowday, R. T., Steers, R. M., & Porter, L. W. (1979). The measurement of organizational commitment.Journal of Vocational Behavior, 14, 224–47.
Nollen, S. D. (1984).New work schedules in practice: Managing time in a changing society. New York: Nostrand Reinhold Company.
Organe County Commission on the Status of Women. (1984).How can we work and care for our children: A report to the Orange County Board of Supervisors from the O.C. Commission on the Status of Women.
Pettygrove, W. B. (1981).Employer-sponsored child care: Four issues papers. Child Development Programs Advisory Committee.
Smith, L. (1985). Corporate-funded day care.Employment Relations Today, 12, 267–71.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
We are grateful for the funding provided by the Spencer Foundation under its Small Grants program and for funds received from the Center for Orange County research, University of California, Irvine. This report is part of a larger program of research being conducted by Ellen Greenberger and Wendy A. Goldberg (co-Principal Investigators) on work, parenting, and the socialization of children; these authors share primary and equal responsibility for the report.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Goldberg, W.A., Greenberger, E., Koch-Jones, J. et al. Attractiveness of child care and related employer-supported benefits and policies to married and single parents. Child Youth Care Forum 18, 23–37 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01086798
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01086798