The Way We Work is Undergoing a Transformation
The pandemic has presented new pressures and challenges for individuals and families, and the effects are evident in the workforce.
In 2019, San Diego Workforce Partnership and San Diego Foundation launched the Workforce + Childcare report, which acknowledged that childcare was scarce and often unaffordable to working parents, forcing them to make difficult decisions related to engagement in the workforce. Furthermore, it showed that childcare providers were operating on thin margins that threatened their long-term sustainability.
In combination, the lack of availability, cost to parents, and strained childcare industry warned of a forthcoming regional challenge - prior to the threat of a global pandemic. Since that time, the connection between workforce and childcare has only been strengthened.
The Future of Work
As we rebuild and reimagine the future of work, understanding the needs of the individuals who make up the workforce is more important than ever. San Diego Foundation set out to gather feedback from local parents to shed light on the challenges working parents face. Based on these findings, San Diegans expressed overwhelming consensus around several issues:
Childcare is Crucial to Workforce Participation
92%
Nearly all parents agreed that having safe, reliable childcare is crucial for parents to be able to work.1
74%
Managing Work and Childcare is Challenging
Nearly three quarters of all respondents agree that their stress related to managing work and childcare responsibilities has gotten worse during the pandemic.1
90%
Flexibility is Important
The vast majority of parents surveyed prefer more flexibility in their work schedule.2
Childcare is a Highly Valued Service
86%
Most working parents agree that childcare is an essential service for families with young children, on par with healthcare and education.1
