---
title: 5 Fast Facts for HR Thought Leaders - UrbanSitter
description: Get in the know with these quick HR industry facts for Q4 2021 and make the transition back into the workplace more smooth for your clients.
---

[Corporate Care Resources | Employer Child Care Benefits ](https://benefits.urbansitter.com/blog)

# [5 Fast Facts for HR Thought Leaders - UrbanSitter](https://benefits.urbansitter.com/blog/5-fast-facts-for-hr-thought-leaders)

 Written by [UrbanSitter Staff](https://benefits.urbansitter.com/blog/author/urbansitter-staff) | Oct 5, 2021 8:00:00 AM

## Get in the know with these quick HR industry facts to kick off Q4 2021. 

#### Employers aggressively leveraging benefits

A new report from Gallagher finds that 41% of surveyed employers said they’ve **added more or different voluntary benefits** to meet recruitment and retention objectives this year. 

 

### Half of employers changing return to office plans

As of September, more than half of U.S. employers say they are **rethinking their return-to-work timing** amid the Delta variant, which is responsible for the latest COVID surge, according to new data from the National Alliance of Healthcare Purchaser Coalitions.

 

### Companies accommodating working parents

Nearly all companies in [a recent survey of over 500 employers by Willis Towers Watson](https://www.willistowerswatson.com/en-US/Insights/2020/09/supporting-employees-with-young-and-school-aged-children-survey) say they’re offering working parents the ability to work **flexible hours**. About 76% also allow employees to work** fewer hours**, and about 10% of employers **maintain pay and benefits**. 

About 30% offer [**access to backup child-care services**](https://blog.urbansitter.com/one-medical-case-study-reliable-backup-child-care-for-frontline-workers/), and another 30% plan to or will consider rolling out this benefit to employees. 

 

### Employment among women hits a 33-year-low

Although women make up less than half of the U.S. workforce, they accounted for a **majority of the decrease in the labor force **during the pandemic. Data from the [Pew Research Center showed](https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2021/04/14/u-s-labor-market-inches-back-from-the-covid-19-shock-but-recovery-is-far-from-complete/) that between February 2020 and February 2021, 2.4 million women left the workforce, compared with 1.8 million men.

One of the most significant barriers for working parents is the **lack of access to affordable child care**. Only 39% of respondents to [McKinsey’s American Opportunity Survey](https://www.mckinsey.com/about-us/covid-response-center/inclusive-economy/unequal-america-ten-insights-on-the-state-of-economic-opportunity) who have incomes below $50,000 and children at home said they could afford child care.

 

### Last, but not least

The word “boss” comes from the Dutch word “[baas](http://www.happyworker.com/bossman/facts#.X238J2hKhPY),” the standard title for the captain of a ship.

Now you know.

 

It’s the perfect time to add **a caregiving benefit** to [help support caregiver employees](https://blog.urbansitter.com/5-ways-for-employers-to-support-working-parents-now-and-post-pandemic/) as they transition back into the office. To find out more about UrbanSitter’s Corporate Care Program, visit our [website](https://www.urbansitter.com/corporate-benefits).

[View full post](https://benefits.urbansitter.com/blog/5-fast-facts-for-hr-thought-leaders)

```json
{
  "@context" : "http://schema.org",
  "@type" : "BlogPosting",
  "author" : {
    "@type" : "Person",
    "name" : "UrbanSitter Staff"
  },
  "dateModified" : "2025-03-06T19:24:59.447Z",
  "datePublished" : "2021-10-05T08:00:00Z",
  "headline" : "5 Fast Facts for HR Thought Leaders",
  "image" : {
    "@type" : "ImageObject",
    "height" : 628,
    "url" : "https://benefits.urbansitter.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/support-working-parents.jpg",
    "width" : 1200
  },
  "mainEntityOfPage" : "https://benefits.urbansitter.com/blog/5-fast-facts-for-hr-thought-leaders",
  "publisher" : {
    "@type" : "Organization",
    "logo" : {
      "@type" : "ImageObject",
      "height" : 60.0,
      "url" : "https://f.hubspotusercontent20.net/hubfs/21002577/urbansitter%20logo%20color-1.png",
      "width" : 317.5
    },
    "name" : "Corporate Care Resources | Employer Child Care Benefits"
  }
}
```