Closing the after-school child care gap

CHILD CARE: Seventy-two percent of parents say uncertainty around school and child care schedules causes them stress, according to the American Psychological Association . But child care gaps can be a year-round challenge that impacts parents' productivity if not managed properly, says Wes Burke , CHRO of Care.com , an online marketplace for caregivers.?

"At the end of school, you've got eight weeks to figure out care for your family, and then you have some level of routine and then all of a sudden, you've got to go back to school and deal with those stressors of finding care, getting supplies and clothes and everything else," Burke says. "Working parents are experiencing that dip in productivity and increased absenteeism for a couple of weeks starting in August into September."?Here's what parents need to get by:

Read: How parents can prepare for an after-school care gap

OPEN ENROLLMENT: When it comes to building a benefits strategy, no two years are ever identical. At financial services firm Ascensus —?which has already seen big changes in recent years — perfecting the benefits package is an ever-evolving process.?As the expanded organization approaches its second open enrollment season, CHRO Amy Walker and her team are focused on doubling down on the best of their benefits package — and finding new areas to enhance offerings.?

"Now that we've settled in as a combined organization, we're really listening to what we're hearing from associates," Walker says. "Who might be leaving us? What are we hearing on the attraction front, in terms of talent acquisition? We weigh all those items, and then really put a DEI lens on the benefits program." Walker shares her top tips for navigating open enrollment this year:

Read: It's our role to be educators': Ascensus CHRO shares her open enrollment approach

MENTAL HEALTH: Software company Zendesk , which has over 5,000 employees in more than 20 countries, decided to expand their mental health and wellness offerings to meet the needs of their diverse workforce in 2020, and has continually built out a network of additional offerings in partnership with Calm Business that allowed employees, regardless of demographic, to feel a strong sense of support.?Beyond the app, Zendesk added additional well-being benefits to help employees navigate stress:

Read: A recipe for resilience: How Zendesk is helping employees manage their stress