2. building toy, lab coats for children
to don during science-themed
activities and a nearby peanut-
free kitchen. Prices aren’t subsi-
dized—full-time care for an infant
costs parents nearly $1,400 a
month. But Mr. Graves hopes the
center—which cost the company
more than $2 million to build—
will help the company reach its
goal of a workforce that’s one-
third female. Currently, just under
half of the 144 spots in the center
are filled.
The corporate hurdles
Lots of hurdles have kept
on-site care from becoming wide-
spread. Executives say it can be
challenging to predict enrollment
in corporate child-care centers.
Many worry about children’s
safety and compliance issues.
Upfront costs and real-estate
constraints also deter many
companies. Plus, researchers note
that employer-sponsored child
care isn’t always the answer to
talent issues facing a company—
often simpler, cheaper fixes like
flexible work options can do
just as well to attract and retain
parents.
Bright Horizons Family Solu-
tions, a provider of child-care
services based in Watertown,
Mass., operates 464 company-
sponsored centers, including
Burns’s, up from 389 in 2011. But
the company’s less-expensive
offerings, like backup care, are
growing more rapidly, according
to CEO Dave Lissy.
“There are costs associated
with it,” Mr. Lissy says of on-site
care. Companies “have to become
believers that there’s a good
return on investment, and that’s a
process for many companies.”
The benefit can be “really
sticky” for companies looking
to increase retention, Mr. Lissy
says. At Clif Bar, 98% of employee
parents whose children attend
the company day care said they
were more likely to stay working
for the firm because of the center,
according to a survey conducted
by the company that runs the
child-care center.
“It was a huge relief,” Kate
Torgersen, a Clif Bar senior
communications manager, says of
the chance to enroll her children
in the 6,700-square-foot center.
Ms. Torgersen estimates that she
has trimmed two hours from her
day by not having to do a separate
child-care drop-off for two of her
children—a third recently moved
on to kindergarten—leaving more
time for work.
Home Depot, which currently
has 264 children enrolled in its
program, believes on-site child
care is a “competitive advantage,”
says Arlette Guthrie, a vice presi-
dent for human resources at the
company. Candidates ask about
it during interviews, and parents
who join the company and sign up
gain “peace of mind” that leads to
better performance.
“Our associates can only do
their best work when their home
life is taken care of,” she says.
Ms. Feintzeig is a Wall Street
Journal reporter in New York.
“Our associates can
only do their best work
when their home life is
taken care of,” she says.