Why The Great Resignation Is Great For Working Parents

Every working parent is familiar with Murphy’s Law which states, “whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.”  My morning was the epitome of what it means to be a working parent.  First, my daughter missed her bus because I forced her to run back inside to grab a jacket...in 50-degree weather.  Additionally, my son woke up with a tummy ache and wanted to stay home. Did I mention that this was all before 8 am, and my husband is out of town for work?  

There is no doubt working parents have a lot to worry about.  Since there are so many unknown factors, just getting the kids off to school in the morning is a monumental task.  It can feel so overwhelming when you add that you still have a job to get to.  Thankfully, I work for a very family-friendly company. 

Code Koalas has an open leave policy that allows employees to use as much PTO as they need whenever they want or need to take it.  The company also adopted the hybrid work model, so employees can work remotely or go into the office.  As a result, children sometimes wander into our company meetings via zoom, and they are greeted with a warm welcome instead of a parent desperately trying to shoo them out of view.   As if I didn’t already hit the “family-friendly company” jackpot, our CEO not only applauds a proper work-life balance, he demands it for every member of his team. A few weeks after I started with Code Koalas, I was attending my daughter’s basketball game on a Saturday and got a message from him asking a question.  I answered him right away, and he responded that I shouldn’t be checking my work account on a Saturday, that he wasn’t expecting an answer until Monday, and to enjoy my weekend.  That exchange still makes me smile.        

Now more than ever, work culture matters, mainly because of the recent phenomenon in the American job market called “The Great Resignation,” where millions of people are quitting their jobs.  Last week, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that 4.3 million Americans left their jobs in August, or 2.9% of the entire workforce. That was a record-breaking month, on top of the previous record-breaking month. As a result, employers from virtually every industry are scrambling to fill open positions while enticing their existing staff to stay put.  

Since working parents made up 59.8% of the workforce in 2020, potential employers should note what is important to them regarding job benefits.  According to a survey conducted by Flexjobs.com asking what the essential factors in a job are, parents value work flexibility over salary.  Here are the full results of the study:  Work flexibility (84%), work-life balance (80%), salary (75%), health insurance (42%), company reputation (39%), and finally, retirement benefits (29%).

The changing landscape of the American workforce has many companies scrambling to catch up with the needs of the working parent.  Without shifting company policies to include benefits like schedule flexibility and work-life balance, many positions will go unfilled, and companies will be unable to fill the needs of their customers. The possibility that the family-friendly policies of Code Koalas could become the norm instead of the exception is an exhilarating thought for working parents everywhere! 

Code Koalas is always looking for talented individuals to become part of the team.   A love for coffee, board games, nerf darts, and fun is required. Tea is acceptable. Find out more here.