DEFRA engages employees with childcare vouchers
Since April 2008, the Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has been working with Accor Services to promote and deliver childcare vouchers to just under 10,000 employees across ten agencies.
Childcare vouchers have proven to be a simple and effective way for DEFRA to help both male and female employees who have childcare needs save money. Basic rate taxpayers can save up to £904 per year and by offering working parents the opportunity to make these savings, the organisation is taking positive steps to engage this important segment of its employee population.
"Childcare vouchers are a key component of the Department's CSR and Wellbeing strategy. By offering employees access to a childcare voucher scheme we can support individuals with their childcare responsibilities. This approach sends a clear message to employees that we're a family friendly organisation that takes employees' caring responsibilities seriously, explains Jeanette Forder, Diversity Specialist on the Strategic Human Resources' Diversity, Wellbeing and Pay Strategy team.
"Our childcare voucher scheme has already attracted widespread support from our working parents and to date around 5% of core DEFRA employees have signed up to receive childcare vouchers or further information about them, she says.
Accor Services' communications team has worked directly with DEFRA employees to raise awareness and increase understanding of the benefits of childcare vouchers, including an online employee survey.
Employees were able to access the survey via regular Office Notices and it gave them the opportunity to register their interest in attending one of a series of nationwide presentations on the scheme. The survey also gave employees who were unable to attend one of these sessions the opportunity to actively request further information on childcare vouchers.
A range of customised posters and leaflets to promote childcare vouchers were also created by Accor Services in partnership with the DEFRA communications team. Working together in this way highlighted the organisation-wide support for the scheme and ensured that the childcare voucher communications remained sensitive to the Department's corporate identity.
The childcare voucher scheme also utilises the Department's internal communications channels, such as the Intranet, to ensure employees can access all the relevant and up-to-date information on childcare vouchers to help them decide for themselves if childcare vouchers are right for them. This provides links to the Accor Services website where employees can join the scheme and find out more about the benefits, including how to access a free and confidential telephone helpline that offers support and information on a wide range of issues that affect employees and their families.
One employee who is benefiting from the scheme is Contracts Manager, Emma Jackson-Dunn: "As a working parent, any support, whether it's financial or practical, is very much appreciated. When I found out I could receive childcare vouchers I jumped at the chance. Paying the nursery via my online electronic childcare account is so straightforward. I have peace of mind while I'm at work and I'm also able to save money at the same time" that can only be a good thing!
Jeanette Forder continues: "Through targeted, face-to-face interaction with employees in addition to the other communication channels we are using, we are able to engage DEFRA's working parents effectively in order to help motivate them and ultimately enhance performance.
