EverythingBenefits, the provider of comprehensive, next-generation benefits technology services, announced today the roll-out of a new company-wide employee benefit. Beginning May 15, all employees will receive a monthly credit to access live online classes on Outschool.com, an online education platform for children ages 3 to 18.
With COVID-19 forcing school closures and, possibly, camp closures this summer, many working parents are struggling to balance caring for their children while working. In the U.S. alone, over 50 million children have not been in school for months, many of whom are left with few options other than spending hours on phones and tablets while their parents work. The pandemic has exacerbated the ongoing struggle that working American parents face, balancing work and family, child care, and the current ‘always-on’ work culture.Work from Home
With many parents turning to digital alternatives to help entertain and educate children during this challenging time, live online educational classes allow children to learn, engage and socialize with others while alleviating some of the stress parents are currently facing.
“During this unprecedented time, it’s critical that employers recognize the additional hardships that working parents are facing, and consider new types of benefits to support them,” shared Rachel Lyubovitzky, CEO of EverythingBenefits. “What we like about Outschool.com is that there are thousands of classes available to kids at all hours of the day, providing working parents with an uninterrupted opportunity to join a business call or complete some of their work while achieving peace of mind knowing that their kids’ time is being spent more meaningfully.”
Lyubovitzky, a working parent of two, was already using Outschool with her two children. After witnessing their success firsthand, she decided to offer it to all employees at EverythingBenefits. These changing times called for EverythingBenefits to refocus on what’s important for an engaged and happy workforce as its mission is to deliver a better benefits experiences for all. Lyubovitzky believes other employers will follow suit and predicts changes to the employee benefits sector in the coming years.
“What was up until recently viewed as a highly coveted benefit by employees, like a gym membership, may evolve to become online yoga classes,” said Lyubovitzky. “Instead of employers investing in their office spaces, we will likely see companies helping support better home office technology for their employees. We may also see new benefits programs that support working parents, such as educational benefits for their children, and more companies offering FMLA.”
