Back-to-school season can bring big changes to a family with children—new schedules, new routines, new after-school activities—and new stressors. Whether your child is starting preschool or moving away from home to attend college, your life as a parent is going to change, and in many cases, that change will follow you into the workplace.

When my son first entered preschool, our family routines needed to accommodate his more regimented schedule. I knew I would have difficulty now that my son’s school day started at the same time as my workday. His school was a 20-minute drive from my office—if the traffic was good. On top of that, my department’s biweekly team meetings were held first thing in the morning. Other than cloning myself, I couldn’t be in two places at once.

I was hesitant to address this problem with my supervisor. I was the only person in my department with children. My childless colleagues were better able to come into work early and attend meetings at short notice when necessary. I didn’t want meetings to be delayed just because of me.

When I talked to my supervisor about my need for more flexibility, I was surprised. As long as I made up for any time missed, she said, she was fine with giving me the flexibility I needed to meet my new obligations. She also moved the time of our team meetings back an hour—without drawing attention to her reason for doing so.

When a family move made it necessary for me to leave that employer, I learned that other companies weren’t as willing to give parents the flexibility they needed to meet evolving family obligations. I ultimately left my next employer for that reason and sought out organizations that gave me the flexibility I needed to balance my responsibilities both at work and at home.

Many organizations recognize the value of giving their employees the ability to balance work and parental responsibilities without burning out. They know that a burned-out employee is not a productive one, and that employers who offer flexibility and understanding are more likely to attract and retain valuable employees.

Back-to-school season is a good time for HR to demonstrate how much they value their employees by being attentive to new issues that may pop up for parents who must adjust to the (often unexpected) changes that occur when their children resume school.

It’s a truism that all children get sick; it’s almost a certainty that those illnesses will spike in the fall. Many parents—especially of babies and younger children—know that back-to-school comes with exposure to the many germs that intermingle when groups of children come together. Children have underdeveloped immune systems, and they are more likely to fall sick from common illnesses that their bodies cannot yet defend against. Seasoned HR professionals know they can expect a spike in employee absences and sick leave this time of year.

When HR is proactive (and appropriately reactive) to employees’ needs when they must care for a sick child—and often themselves when they catch their child’s illnesses—they can make this time of the year easier for working parents. How?

• Offer guidance to managers. Remind managers that unanticipated absences and sick leave requests can become more frequent this time of year and do not necessarily indicate underperforming employees. If managers respond with empathy and understanding, they demonstrate that their company culture is sensitive to the needs of working parents.

• Remove the guilt. Working parents will often push themselves to work through any illnesses they’ve caught from their children to avoid accumulating too many absences or to avoid overburdening their colleagues. Proactively remind your employees of your leave policies, and encourage them to take advantage of them as needed without feeling guilty.

• Create a resource hub for working parents. The best advice for solutions to issues specific to working parents, such as balancing work and caring for sick children, are often other parents who have been there. Set up a Slack channel so these parents can connect and share advice and resources.
• Promote community resources. Proactively provide employees with lists of resources for working parents, such as local childcare, tutoring programs, and after-care options.
• Create an employee resource group (ERG). Facilitated discussions among parents experiencing the same challenges can help them build valuable support networks and learn about new resources.
• Offer backup childcare. Companies that are able to financially bear the cost should consider offering back-up emergency childcare or provide stipends for childcare expenses to free up working parents who must attend to essential work.

• Offer flexible start and end times. New family routines often accompany the start of the school year, as parents and kids get used to new drop-off times, after-school activities, and school rules. Enabling parents some grace time for a couple weeks to get used to their new schedules by offering flexible start and end times can be a huge relief for parents trying to beat the clock.
• Offer paid PTO for back-to-school activities/orientation. At the start of the school year, many schools host orientation sessions, invite parents to meet teachers, and hold back-to-school family activities. To allow working parents to attend these events worry-free, consider offering paid time off specifically for these occasions. Just a day or a few hours off can do a lot to reduce stress for working parents.
• Provide “meeting-free mornings” during the first week of school. Enable parents to ease into their new school schedules by not holding meetings in the morning for one week.
• Provide WFH or hybrid work options for the first few weeks of school. Knowing they don’t have to rush to or from work for the first few weeks of school can be a huge relief for parents transitioning to new schedules. Even if your company requires in-person attendance, enabling employees to accomplish at least part of their work or attend meetings at home keeps essential work on track and prevents employees from getting inundated when they return to the office.

• Offer mental health resources. Balancing work and home responsibilities is always a challenge for working parents, leading to elevated stress levels, which can impact employee performance and morale. Remind employees about the mental health resources your company offers, including employee assistance programs (EAPs) and wellness benefits.
• Coach managers and supervisors. Managers—especially childless ones—may not even know when back-to-school season starts. Remind them that late August and early September can be difficult for their employees who are raising children, and ask them to lead with empathy if their employees struggle with the transition.
• Encourage open communication. Promote a culture in which working parents feel comfortable discussing their needs and challenges without judgement.

What might seem like a disruptive time can actually be a strategic moment for HR to enhance workplace morale, trust, and flexibility. By planning ahead and formulating family-friendly policies for back-to-school transitions regarding scheduling, time off, flexibility, and support, you can reduce employee stress and promote an organizational culture of empathetic leadership that retains the best employees.

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