Delta Dental of Colorado Supports Flexibility for Better Outcomes

When it comes to working parents, flexibility is key. That’s why Delta Dental of Colorado is proud to support EPIC in its mission to provide solutions that meet parents’ needs for early childhood care and education. Our company has a history of helping our team members find the flexibility to support not just the workforce of today but the development of the workforce of tomorrow. From the first day they join Delta Dental of Colorado, employees know they have become part of an organization that values them as individuals and as team members.

Child care can cost families up to 19% of their income or more, and that’s not a sustainable solution to keep parents in the career talent pool. What is sustainable are the solutions businesses are developing and implementing to support working parents. For working mothers, especially, these solutions are key to keeping them in the workforce. According to Time magazine, “About 78.2% of female college graduates aged 25 to 34 who had children participated in the labor force in the fall of 2021, compared to 77.2% in the fall of 2018.” They’re able to return to work because of flexible work schedules and their ability to find the kind of child care that works for their families.

Businesses today are creating solutions to keep not just mothers, but all working parents, growing in their careers. Through solutions like flexible work schedules, remote work, or even working with EPIC’s design lab to provide on-site child care, businesses make real impact for working parents. In fact, The Wall Street Journal notes that, “Among women who dropped out of the workforce in the Covid-19 era, one-third said the lack or expense of child care was a top reason, while 20% of men who left said so.”

Flexibility isn’t just developing remote work positions. It’s also allowing parents to create schedules that fit their child care needs. It’s the development of on- or near-site childcare programs and other creative family benefits that aim to offer access, flexibility, and affordability for their employees. It’s in building the infrastructure and advancing policies friendly to both business and working parents.

Delta Dental of Colorado works with EPIC because its network of business leaders is committed to a future where child care and workforce preparedness are not roadblocks to business success and economic growth. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. We know that:

• An investment in early child care and education can produce an $8.60 return for each $1 invested.
• Investments in early child care and education have substantial impact on educational success, as well as health, poverty, workforce development, and the economy.
• Children participating in quality child care and education are more likely to stay away from teen pregnancy, drugs, and criminal activity.
• Parents in the current workforce are more productive when they are not concerned about their children during the workday.

Flexibility in the workforce leads to better outcomes because children are cared for and their learning is enriched. When employees’ children are cared for, our society thrives and companies can improve productivity, reduce absenteeism, and foster a happier, more loyal workforce. This also helps employers attract and retain workforce candidates, making teams stronger.

It’s not just flexibility that matters. EPIC provides businesses with myriad tools to help support working parents and businesses thrive. Delta Dental of Colorado appreciates these options that give businesses what they need to support the current workforce and generations to come.