The Benefits of On-Site Childcare.

• Author: SMITH, DAWNELL

Juggling a family and job is made easier when business provide on-site childcare, and gives parents the opportunity to visit children during breaks and lunch hours.

Day after day, parents hop out of bed, grapple with diapers, feed and kids and gulp a cup of coffee before rushing to daycare centers seem too small, too crowded and too distant for anyone's peace of mind.

Yet the weeks roll by as the challenges of childcare take its toll on workplace productivity, employee health and family unity. Despite the daily balancing act, many parents avoid talking to peers and supervisors, fearing that others will question their ability to leave family issues at home where they belong.

Some companies have changed all that by providing and subsidizing childcare services--among those in Alaska are BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. and Providence Hospital.

"I think there's a movement in the United States ... about quality childcare and what the true costs of that are," said Chris Jurenka, program manager of the BP Early Learning Center.

Most government subsidies barely touch the tip of the iceberg in paying for the care of a child, she said, and full tuition at the BP learning center doesn't cover the actual costs. BP picks up the slack. In return, it gains loyalty and boosts morale.

"It helps in acquiring and retaining staff as a human resources tool," said Charlene Hudson, facilities management administrator for BP. "Performance and productivity have certainly increased and we see less sick time."

Margaret Bauer, director of the Providence Center for Child Development, agrees. When Providence got into the childcare business in the mid-'80s, the leaders "wanted to help their employees balance schedules with work and family," she said. "We had a CEO who had a vision and it happened."

Once in place, the learning center had an immediate impact, Bauer said. When employees saw that Providence valued families, they were reassured that work and family issues were taken seriously.

Balancing the Costs and Benefits

In Anchorage, BP and Providence are the only two private companies that offer full-service, employee-dedicated childcare. Providence started 16 years ago and BP opened its first facility in 1991. The Alaska Club also has a licensed daycare that serves club members at the east location, but employees can use the facility at a discount.

In the past, a few other employers offered childcare programs on a temporary basis, according to Martha Anderson, program...