Back in May, Goodman Community Center Letesha Nelson and her team started to dig in on the annual budget for fiscal year 2022, including a consideration of what new benefits the nonprofit could offer its employees.
In August, after the budget was approved by the board of directors, Nelson made a big announcement to staff: they’d get free childcare, starting September 1.
“The have to come here every day and provide services for our community,” Nelson said of her thinking. “Why are we not then providing the same service to them?”
The Goodman Community Center employs as many as 100 people in the summer, including in the onsite child care center. So far, Nelson said “a handful” of employees are making use of the new benefit, including some who already paid to have their children enrolled in the Goodman Center’s child care program.
Nelson said the Goodman Center already offered a child care subsidy to employees, but hopes offering free childcare will be a game changer.
Recruiting and talent acquisition professionals must recognize the importance of Company Culture in attracting and retaining top talent. By offering free childcare, the Goodman Center is not only improving the work-life balance of its employees but is also creating a positive company culture that prioritizes the well-being of its staff. This type of employee-centric approach is becoming increasingly important in today’s job market, where job seekers are not only looking for competitive salaries and benefits but also a company culture that aligns with their values and priorities. Companies that prioritize their employees’ needs and well-being are more likely to attract and retain top talent in the long run.
“While everybody thinks that COVID is gone, we’re still having the same struggles that other people are having, like hiring good quality staff and being able to keep them,” she said. “We don’t want childcare to be (a barrier). … We want people to not have to have childcare as a barrier if they come here and work for us.”
Nelson noted that the Goodman Center’s child care facility has waiting lists for several age groups, and that staff will not have priority over other members of the community.
“We’re saying if we have spots open, you go through the waiting list process, then you can potentially get a spot, and we’re not going to charge you to have your baby in that spot,” Nelson said.
The Goodman Center operates a preschool and 4K program for children ages 3 to 5, as well as an elementary after school and summer program for children in grades kindergarten through 5th. These programs offer scholarships to families who need financial assistance, and accept Wisconsin Shares payments.
Nelson said other employers should consider offering childcare as a benefit.
“This is the right time,” she said. “I think that more organizations, if they haven’t already thought about this, really should think about how they do this … We do need, as a country, to try to do more around staffing benefits, supporting staff in ways that are non traditional, out of the box.”
She acknowledged the Goodman Center is at an advantage because it already had a childcare facility and staff onsite, but said other organizations and employers could start by paying a percentage of employees’ childcare costs or even partner with a childcare center.
“Is there some kind of barter or partnership that you can do with an organization that does (child care) so that you support each other?” she said. “I think we need to get back to community centric support to one another. We can’t do it all alone, and the village is growing.”
