Mother’s Day: only 1% of companies in Peru have daycare centers

Of the 8 million 988,842 Peruvian mothers, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (INEI), about 40% do not return to the labor market due to the different challenges they encounter in balancing their family and work responsibilities, which is one of their main concerns. caring for your children; And in Peru only 1% of companies have daycare centers, according to the consulting firm Aequales.

Natalia Manso, professor of social responsibility at the Pacífico Business School and gender specialist, points out that we have very few cases, “barely non-existent”, of companies that, for example, offer daycare or early childhood care services to facilitate care of children in their first years of life near the workplace.

“On the part of the State, The childcare network should definitely be strengthened so that women have more opportunities to develop professionally.. This is precisely where countries with the smallest gender gap invest considerably, they invest in a network of free, quality early childhood care,” she maintains.

Proposals and a long road

The consulting firm Aequales affirms that most companies are looking to implement basic flexibility practices for mothers at work. In this sense, 89% of organizations have opted for a hybrid work model, while 75% and 73% highlight the importance of having flexible days and schedules, respectively.

Likewise, 59% of companies have implemented home offices for mothers and fathers; while 44% and 28% consider a staggered return after motherhood and fatherhood, respectively.

However, there is still a lack of greater focus in the business sector to provide initiatives that help manage the time and responsibilities of both mothers and fathers, such as the implementation of daycare services, taking into account that Offering child care in the workplace is a good way to retain valuable talent.

“Co-responsibility in the organizational culture is synonymous with commitment to the same collaborators, understanding that both women and men fulfill other roles than work will help promote flexibility measures, plans to reduce overload and provide solutions that will help obtain better results.” on a professional and personal level,” emphasizes the consultant.