Helping Your Employees Prepare for Back-to-School Time

After an interesting and hopefully fun summer, it is back-to-school season once again. Parents are already planning for it. Students are going back full-time, online, or hybrid learning depending on where they are across the country. Back-to-school season is stressful for parents and their children, and they have additional pressure from COVID-19. Here is how you can help your working-parent employees prepare for the new school year. 

 Offer Flexibility

Back-to-school is different this year because schools are focusing on the safety of their students with social and physical distancing. Some differences compared to other years are later starting dates, online learning, shortened hours, and changes in days off from school. Consider offering a flexible schedule to your employees so they can still pick up their children from school and help them with their schoolwork when needed. Sometimes important school meetings and orientations might come up that they will not want to miss. Finding a babysitter has been difficult for parents during this time. Your employees will appreciate the flexibility of getting to leave work early or work from home so they can care for their children.

Stock Up On School Supplies

Another way to help working parents prepare is by providing them with school supplies. Students will always need pens, pencils, notebooks, and folders for their schoolwork. Other miscellaneous supplies that would be helpful to them are backpacks, lunch bags, or even gift cards to purchase new clothes. Because of COVID-19, masks and hand sanitizer will be vital supplies that parents will send their children to school with. 

Provide a Calendar

Parents have a work schedule, social life schedule, and schedule for each of their children. One of the best ways to plan for that is by carrying a calendar around. Offer a quality calendar to those employees to help them keep track of the busy lives that they have. This will ensure that they do not overlap times. A calendar will also prevent miscommunication and forgetfulness at work.

Show Understanding and Compassion

Since back-to-school is a stressful time for working parents, express to them that you and your company are here for them. Scheduling changes and concerns for their children affects worker productivity. When you show them you care for them and understand that they have a lot on their plate, they will be more upfront when asking for help instead of letting deadlines go by. 

Happy Back-to-School Season

Education is important to youth. Help your employees prepare for the upcoming school year so they can feel confident with the change from their summer schedule. 

Skylight Creative hopes that your back-to-school time runs smoothly. Stay safe and have a fun year! We offer a ton of supplies to help students and their parents out. If you have questions or want to learn more about Skylight Creative, call us at 410.879.8401 or contact us on the website.