In Poland, an increasing number of companies, not just large corporations but also SMEs, are seeing the benefits of supporting their employees in combining their professional roles with family responsibilities. A work-family balance is maintained by 70% of micro, small and medium-sized employers, according to the EFL report “How Entrepreneurs Rest. Under the Microscope”. In these companies, employees can most often take additional days off in case of a child’s illness (37%) and for significant parenting occasions (37%). Every fifth company offers health insurance for the entire family, and 13% offer flexible working hours. However, a large group of companies (30%) do not support employee parenting in any way. This is most often the case with micro companies, 75% of which do not offer parental support. The most family-friendly sector is the trade industry, while agriculture is the least.
“Parenting is not just an “issue” for the employee, but employers can and should play a significant role in this area. Both sides should want to maintain a work-family balance. Parents’ professional work should not be done at the expense of family life, and vice versa, family responsibilities should not affect the lower quality and efficiency of the employee. Companies that adapt their policies to family needs not only support parents but also contribute to building stronger, more loyal teams. Solutions such as remote work, flexible working hours or additional days off to care for a child are most common in large corporations. However, as our research indicates, the majority of our SME’s also take care of working parents,” says Radosław Woźniak, President of the EFL Board.
Many parents, mostly mothers, forgo their professional careers for a year or even several years to dedicate themselves to their families. That’s why a clear and pro-parent company policy is crucial so that a parent, if they wish, can balance their family and professional lives. According to the EFL report, “How Entrepreneurs Rest. Under the Microscope”, 7 out of 10 micro, small and medium enterprises support the parenting of their employees. The most popular solutions that facilitate the reconciliation of parenting with a professional career are additional days off in case of a child’s illness (37%) and for significant occasions related to parenting, such as the first day of school (37%). Every fifth company offers or subsidises health insurance for the entire family, and 13% offer flexible working hours. Corporate nurseries (1%) and subsidised savings accounts (1%) are less common solutions.
The report from the Polish Economic Institute “Mom Returns to Work – Behavioral Barriers and Directions of Support” shows that 30% of mothers of children aged 1-9 do not work professionally, and 16% of them declare that they do not work because of difficulties in finding suitable work. In this context, it should not be surprising that the EFL report shows that a considerable group of companies does not support their employees in the role of parent – this is as much as 30% of surveyed companies.
Employees of micro-companies can least count on the support of their employers, and employees of medium-sized companies most often. Only 25% of managers of micro-enterprises help in the role of parent, most often by giving additional hours and days off for important occasions related to parenting (14%). In small companies (employing from 10 to 49 people), 64% of employees can count on support in this area. Here too, the most popular are additional days off for the child’s illness or for participation in important events (35% and 31% respectively).
Medium-sized companies (from 50 to 249 people) not offering parenting support are exceptions (2%). For the vast majority, it’s a matter of course. Like smaller firms, “medium-sized” ones most often offer days off for a child’s illness or for special occasions related to parenting (52% and 54% respectively). Every fifth institution runs financial support programs, e.g. discounts on children’s products, or flexible working hours.
Looking at the sectors, it can be seen that parenting is less often supported in so-called male industries. A whopping 64% of agricultural firms, 38% of construction companies and 36% of transport companies do not offer any pro-family solutions. Parents can most often count on additional benefits in trade companies (88%).
Marcin Tadeusiak, who manages a firm specialising in gas energy on a daily basis, emphasises that fatherhood is just starting in the engineering industry. “Fatherhood in the engineering consciousness is not yet so strong. We have such examples and for us it’s perfectly fine. Nobody should block this,” says Marcin Tadeusiak, President of the JT S.A. Board.
The report “How Entrepreneurs Rest. Under the Microscope” is the fourteenth study in the “Under the Microscope” series, published by the European Leasing Fund S.A. as part of its flagship project “European Fund for the Modernisation of Polish Companies”. The quantitative “Under the Microscope” study was conducted by the ICAN Institute on behalf of EFL S.A. with owners, co-owners and persons responsible for finance in the SME segment throughout the country. A total of 600 interviews were conducted: 263 talks with representatives of micro companies, 169 talks with representatives of small companies and 169 talks with representatives of medium-sized companies. The surveyed companies represented four sectors: construction, trade, production, agriculture, transport and services. Data prepared in this way allows for analysis and reporting at the level of the entire population of companies in Poland. The study was conducted using telephone surveys (CATI) in June and July 2024.
Source: https://managerplus.pl/wsparcie-rodzicow-w-polskich-firmach-jak-msp-ulatwiaja-pracownikom-laczenie-pracy-z-zyciem-rodzinnym-83179
