Family-Friendly Workplaces: A Guide for Utah Business Leaders is a new resource guide for Utah leaders in business, government, and community that spotlights valuable data, what to consider, and actionable steps with best practices for businesses to elevate the culture and leadership around child care support. CEOs, presidents, managers, and human resource professionals throughout Utah’s business community are encouraged to carefully review the contents of the guide, and consider what steps they can take in their organizations to support the child care needs and overall well-being and success of their employees. The guide is a partnership between the Salt Lake Chamber, Utah Community Builders, United Way of Salt Lake and Voices for Utah Children.

Untapped Potential in Utah will better help the business community understand the unique needs of working parents in Utah and examine the current childcare landscape. The report estimates how often parents with children under the age of six leave the workforce or educational opportunities because of insufficient childcare, as well as how often they are missing work or school due to childcare issues. In addition, highlights the value of access to childcare for families and any proposed solution must be developed to be responsive to the distinct challenges of Utah. This data is used to model a conservative estimate of the direct financial impact of breakdowns in childcare for Utah’s economy and its employers. The report was sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF), in partnership with the Salt Lake Chamber, Utah Community Builders, United Way of Salt Lake, and Voices for Utah Children.

Statewide survey results suggest there are a number of supportive policies employers could enact to recruit, support, and retain working parents in Utah’s competitive labor market. It shows that while most are satisfied with their current work and childcare arrangement, many parents and guardians also think policies such as increased wage/salary, paid family leave, flexible/stable hours and schedule, remote/hybrid work options, better parttime job opportunities and childcare assistance are important to achieving their ideal situation. The survey was sponsored by the Salt Lake Chamber, Utah Community Builders, and the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, and released by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute.

Mental health has long been one of Utah’s most pressing issues, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only made that more clear. Utah’s business community is leading the way by building a more resilient workforce through a culture of mental fitness. With the right information and tools, business leaders can help improve the mental fitness of their employees, and by extension all of Utah’s workforce. Advice from experts, coupled with free or discounted resources, are available now.

“Experts, advocates, and innovative business leaders come together in presentations to show the how and why of Workforce Resilience through Mental Fitness. Watch this video to catch up on our official launch event.