Covering childcare for traveling employees? Here’s what to consider

When looking to encourage attendance at your workplace conference or event, it’s important to consider what your employees want from their trip, what challenges work travel can present and what could be holding them back from attending at all. There are countless hidden costs for conference-goers, even if travel and housing expenses are sponsored by employers; for many working parents, securing reliable and affordable childcare while they’re away remains one of the biggest challenges and barriers to attendance.

Many families hope to turn work trips into opportunities for vacations. Three-quarters of conference attendees already extend their trips to include leisure time, and 44% of them will turn down work events if they can’t extend their stay. If working parents are taking advantage of “bleisure” opportunities, it is because they are among the lucky few who have reliable support systems in place for their children while they’re away. Other working parents who lack reliable, affordable care options are left to turn down meaningful work opportunities or pay for it later.

Conscientious meeting planners have systems in place to support their working parents, like childcare grants, connecting parents to local sitters, allowing children to accompany their parents, or on-site childcare. Each option has clear tradeoffs, so it’s worth comparing them closely to find what works best for your working parents before planning your next event.

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Childcare grants

​Covering the cost of childcare for your employees is a common offering. Employers can offer grants to cover childcare expenses so employees can leave children home, or offer to pay a nanny or caregiver to accompany the conference-goer so they can travel with their child. This acknowledges the invisible costs of attending a conference, and is a good solution if there are only a handful of attendees or speakers who would need to take advantage of this benefit. Making room for accompanying caregivers can be difficult for planners if space is limited but they may be able to share the parent’s room.  

Connecting parents to sitters at the destination (usually through third parties)

Some event planners rely on childcare or nannying services offered by hotels and resorts, referring parents to third-party providers. Even with employers footing the bill, this option is commonly unappealing to parents because it means leaving their child in a stranger’s care. Hotel or resort childcare providers may not offer their services for children of certain ages or abilities (like not being potty trained), and their hours may not align with the conference schedule or allow parents to network after-hours. Connecting with companies that offer back-up care may mean limited activities to keep your child occupied, often keeping children in their hotel room while their parents work for hours. The stress of these uncertain interactions often spells out anxiety for working parents, dividing their attention and making them opt out of relationship-building activities outside of conference hours.

Allowing children to accompany their parents

While few conferences have fully embraced the idea of welcoming children to work events, this option is gaining some traction. This is great for parents with infants, and works even better when setting aside nursing rooms for mothers.  But young children can be disruptive and there can be safety concerns. Display and exhibit halls often feature large crowds and displays that could prove dangerous for little ones. Liability concerns often prevent young children from entering the exhibit hall at all leaving parents stuck. Some social events aren’t appropriate for young children to attend. Event planners need to consider the kinds of events planned and how these events are suited - or not - to children attending. You may find that this option leaves parents’ attention divided and could prevent them from socializing after-hours – a crucial part of what makes conferences valuable experiences.

Offering onsite childcare

This is by far the most accommodating option for your caregiving attendees. By setting aside dedicated spaces for their employees’ children onsite, savvy meeting planners and employers signal to their working parents their commitment to work-life integration and equity. Offering onsite childcare removes barriers that persist when offering a limited number of childcare grants, covering care for as many children as needed and serving kids of all ages and abilities. Parents feel comforted knowing that their child is close by and that they can check in on them at any time. Plus, onsite childcare can accommodate parents seeking networking after-hours, so they can take full advantage of all of the social benefits a conference provides.

On-site childcare providers make it easy for meeting planners to support working parents at their events. Opting for a provider that has an experienced core team of caregivers, channels for clear communication between caregivers and parents, and a reputation for putting on enjoyable and engaging childcare programs is your best bet for making your working parents feel welcome at your events, year after year.

Luckily, Plus One Meetings checks all those boxes and more. If you are interested in partnering with us for your next event, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.