Reports

As businesses and workers adjust to rapidly changing work environments, employers are focusing on improving diversity to strengthen their workforce. In addition, new economic and workplace challenges may exacerbate barriers to employment — particularly for those who experience barriers to education, employment, and advancement — otherwise known as opportunity populations. Organizations that serve opportunity populations are looking for new ways to connect those who experience barriers to employment to meaningful career pathways and advancement. Strengthening relationships between businesses and opportunity population-serving organizations (OPSOs) is important, but major systemic challenges to sustained partnership often exist.

Building on the work of other states, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation partnered with the business communities in Idaho, Iowa, Mississippi, and Pennsylvania to understand just how much breakdowns in childcare cost each state. In this study we looked at the causes of childcare challenges as well as motivations behind why parents select various childcare providers. Knowing many employers want to facilitate more access to childcare but do not know where to begin, we sought to learn what types of childcare benefits working parents desire most from employers.