Hy-Vee Grocery’s Childcare Concierge Service for Employees

Hy-Vee, an employee-owned Midwestern supermarket chain, partnered with Upwards to offer a childcare concierge service to all full- and part-time employees across multiple states in the U.S.

Many of Hy-Vee’s grocery store and warehouse employees work early mornings, evenings, or weekends, making traditional daycare hours a poor fit. Additionally, the company operates in both urban and rural communities, some of which are childcare deserts. Employees often faced challenges securing affordable childcare. Turnover in retail is costly, and Hy-Vee saw childcare issues as a factor that it could potentially control. The challenge was how to implement a benefit flexible enough to serve employees in dozens of cities and small towns, without building on-site centers at each location. Hy-Vee needed a solution to help employees navigate local childcare options and lower the cost barrier.

The solution Hy-Vee introduced was a nationwide childcare benefit for its employees through a partnership with Upwards, a technology-driven childcare network. This initiative provides a concierge-level service for all employees across the nation. The program gives employees access to a network of qualified in-home childcare providers and nannies, which offers more flexibility and is often more affordable than traditional daycare centers. The Upwards platform helps employees find and vet providers, and also assists with enrollment and tuition payments. This solution was designed to directly address the childcare crisis by offering a convenient and accessible option that supports working parents' diverse schedules.

• Have a robust internal marketing plan: Hy-Vee rolled out the benefit prominently, with CEO statements and integration into their benefits portal. Replication should include strong internal marketing—ensure store managers and HR representatives are educated so they can encourage employees to use it.
• Measure and promote ROI: Track usage rates, retention differences, and absence records. Use these metrics to continually justify the expense to leadership. For replication, gather testimonials and data to share with stakeholders.